Ylisse, The Shepherds and the Flame-Faced Demon
by Edwardleo40004
Summary: "Keep the Warp Drive powered, we might need a quick escape." "I don't like these odds, are there any reinforcements?" Just as they wished, Viper made his quick escape and the Shepherds find two new recruits, yet what each of them gained was far more than what they expected. And that, is why you don't make vague wishes. "North, I've a feeling we're not on the Frontier anymore."
1. Prologue

Paranoid Disclaimer

I do not own either the Titanfall or Fire Emblem franchises. Those belong to Respawn Entertainment and Intelligent Systems respectively.  
_

I'll try to avoid Titanfall specific terms, however, sometimes it's unavoidable without making the story seem wrong. The glossary will only be posted on the prologue to avoid unnecessary word count inflation.

GLOSSARY START

Apex Predators: Based on rumors you hear from enemy soldiers, the Apex Predators are a group of the most ruthless mercenaries in the Frontier.

Draconis: A transport ship. I can't go into detail without spoiling the plot.

Frontier: The setting of Titanfall 1 and 2 and its conflicts, the Frontier is the battleground between the Militia, people fighting for their freedom and the IMC, a manufacturing corporation that exploits planets on the Frontier for its resources

Ion: A titan using the Splitter Rifle. It's abilities are Vortex Shield, Laser Tripwire and Laser Shot. Its ultimate ability is the Laser Core, a continuous laser that needs a few seconds to charge up.

Laser Shot: Basically a sniper rifle ability. That takes out half a health bar from a titan (which have 3,4 or 5 bars depending on the class) Has no charge up time or shot delay and you can fire 2 shots in rapid succession. Slightly OP

Neural Link: The bridge that connects a Pilot and a Titan. Allows titans close to its pilot to read the pilot's thoughts and utilize its commands for rapid action. Essentially, the Pilot is the player and the Titan is the character. The shorter the distance the more effective. After a certain distance, simply the radio is used.

Northstar: Sniper titan that uses Plasma Railgun. Abilities are Tether Trap, VTOL Hover (Star is a modified Northstar capable of flight), and Cluster Missile. Ultimate ability is Flight Core which is a combination of VTOL Hover and normal Missiles. Lots of Missile.

Plasma Railgun: The Sniper rifle of the titan weapons, the Plasma Railgun has a slight travel time and can be charged to deal more damage.

Tether Trap: Motion-sensing trap that releases, at least in this story, steel wires with magnetic clamps. This is based on how traps only work on titans or reapers (Mini non-sentient titans). Able to lock down titans for a few seconds in the game.

Titan: Sentient machines around 20 feet tall used for a multitude of roles such as construction, transportation, etc. Used primarily for warfare in Titanfall 1 and 2 cause no one wants to read about a disenfranchised titan seeking her dreams of "Living off the fatta the lan". Estimations of weight based on BT-7274's 40 tonne chassis.

Vanguard-Class: A special class of titan capable of using all loadouts, it combines the speed of light titans with the armour of heavy titans. Basically the most overpowered titan.

Vortex Shield: Overpowered Shield presumably made from my tears, absorbs all incoming fire from the front before releasing it back all at once. Waiting out a vortex shield will lead to scientists finding your fossilized remains, still clutching a controller/keyboard and mouse.

GLOSSARY END  
_

And please for the love of Chin Chin if you have a question, try to review while logged in. If it's a question that crops up a lot I'll put it in the Author's Notes before/after the relevant chapter OR answer it in the story if it's feasible. Otherwise, I don't want to give too false an idea of the size of this story because I answer every question IN the story.

"Hello" is normal speech  
 _"Hello"_ is thoughts/neural link conversation  
-0- is my scene transition magical device for when I can't think of details here etc. short and simple.

 **Prologue**

A single Northstar-class titan hovered several kilometres off the ground, silhouetted by the cloudless noon sky. Her pilot gazed at the mountains, graveyards for burning ships and droves of militia grunts.

 _"Good targeting Pilot."_ The familiar drone of the titan passed through his mind. _"The engines of each enemy aircraft combusted. Chances of survival: Minimal."_

The pilot considered his options. Fly down to eliminate survivors or refuel at the Draconis. Before he could decide, a crackling of the radio interrupted his thoughts.

"Viper One, this is Voodoo One requesting assistance, how copy?"

Brows furrowed in thought, the mercenary scanned the corpse-ridden ground once more before responding.

"Solid Copy. Sitrep."

"There's an enemy pilot and vanguard-class titan closing in on the Draconis."

Surprised by the enemy's rapid progress, he analysed what he knew.

 _"They captured the escort ships in only a few hours? Impressive. And the pilot controls a Vanguard-class titan. So this is why they made a personal request."_

Viper glanced over his titan's HUD and grimaced.

 _"Agreed pilot,"_ Northstar chipped in. _"Excessive damage on the hull. Fuel and Ammunition running low. Warp drive is compromised. Extended combat not recommended."_

Viper weighed his options for a few seconds before deciding on a course of action.

 _"Keep the warp drive powered. We might need it to escape."_

 _"Understood."_

Clicking on his radio, he reaffirmed his decision.

"Voodoo One, we're stalling the pilot, prep a Northstar-chassis for my return."

"Copy that Viper, good luck." The relief in Voodoo One's voice was palpable. It seems that the reputation of the Apex Predators as the most ruthless force on the frontier preceded him.

Calming his thoughts and beginning to plan, he turned off the radio and addressed his titan.

 _"What do we know about this pilot?"_

Numerous videos and pictures popped up on the HUD, anything that was relevant to the pilot in question. A surprisingly sparse amount. "Based on the data we salvaged, this enemy pilot is highly skilled, cautious and quickly adapts to an enemy's tactics and behaviours. He is not to be underestimated."

Turning around towards the Draconis, Viper reconsidered what he knew, bouncing ideas off Northstar as she flew.

-0-

Cruising along the side of the captured ship, Viper relied on Northstar's sensors to detect the enemy pilot.

 _"Target sighted: Enemy titan using Ion Loadout. Firing Plasma Railgun not recommended."_

Knowing he'd been heard during his flight, Viper dismissed using the element of surprise, instead soaring between the Draconis and the enemy, taunting them.

"Voodoo One, Viper's on station. Your journey ends here Pilot." Viper extended a single arm in front, palm open and waved to his side. "The skies belong to me.

Nowhere to run."

The metal palm snapped shut before opening and gliding to his front.

"Nowhere to hide." Viper clenched the hand once more, an image of calm arrogance. A bluff.

The plasma railgun suddenly tilted up and fired, six kilograms of molten slag driving into the enemy's hull and knocking them back several feet. The enemy Ion returned a laser shot.

 _"Left arm holding, recommend finding cover."_

 _"I have something better in mind."_

"Lucky shot Pilot. But you won't be making anymore. Dodge this."

Hovering at nearly fifteen metres off the chrome floor, Northstar rained dozens of armour-shredding missiles on the enemy position.

As he expected, the enemy dashed behind cover with a vortex shield raised, avoiding death by meters. Patiently waiting, magnetic coils hummed with unreleased power.

Seconds later, the enemy titan dashed out of cover, straight into Viper's aim.

His honed reflexes scored a direct hit on the enemy's hatch. Immediately cutting off the jets, he landed behind five feet of steel and re-assessed the situation.

Contrasting Viper's precise speech, Northstar rattled off advice, _"Left arm damaged but holding, Ground mobility at approximately 78% efficiency, Enemy now recognizes phrase "Dodge This". Recommend avoiding ground traversal and utilize deception."_

Situation reassessed, Viper flew off to the side and under the ship, outside of the enemy pilot's view. Re-emerging on the other side, Viper took advantage of the enemy's confusion and aimed for the left shoulder.

Instinctively whipping around, the enemy fired another laser into Northstar's damaged chassis before raising its vortex shield, slowly advancing towards Viper.

Viper slowly backed away, calmly firing off shots and keeping the enemy's sight firmly on him, ten metres off the ground. Though his shots were ineffective against the Vortex shield, the enemy pressed on to negate his ranged advantage.

Right into his trap.

Small explosives sounded and magnetic clamps slammed onto the Ion's hull, now caught in a Tether Trap.

Viper instantly halted, preparing to fire off a barrage of missiles.

"I've got you in the pipe, five by five."

Victory was his. The prey was caught. The snake darted in for the kill.

Until sirens blared and warnings exploded onto the HUD. The enemy Ion had returned all of his shots, bombarding Northstar's chassis and jostling her warp drive. Alarmed, Viper looked to her for confirmation.

 _"Pilot, eject now! Warp Drive malfunctioning."_

Recognizing his defeat, and subsequent death, Viper's last thoughts in this world turned to his titan.

-0-

Across the veil dividing worlds in a burning forest, fragile soil slowly yet surely cracked from a relentless torrent of lava. Within this perilous footing, a small group of soldiers unwaveringly held off hordes of monsters. Arrows soared true, thinning groups before they even raised a weapon, lances impaled the more tenacious ones and swords slashed whoever remained.

Even when surrounded and outnumbered by these mindless beasts, even as molten rock slowly consumed the battlefield, even when the very air filled with smoke and ashes, becoming treacherous to breathe, Robin held full confidence in her allies. But when she released another thunder into the approaching hordes, she happened to glance to the night sky.

A loud crack not unlike thunder accompanied a cloud bursting and scattering its vapor across the sky. Despite all the ordeals these tenacious warriors faced and overcame, it was but one colossal monster which sealed their fates within their minds.

But this would not be the last battle of the Shepherds, nor the last day of Viper.

With a resounding crash, the very ground cratered. Those at Ground Zero were crushed beneath a war machine's unyielding chassis. The luckier ones were thrown off their feet or merely staggered.

As these survivors prepared for a bitter end, they stared down what was supposedly death's cold eyes. An unblinking gaze flashed across the ground, noting and assessing everything in sight. Its owner rose to its full height.

Forged from metals far stronger than anything this untainted world could fathom; its head would have reached a village's walls with metres to spare. Fists with a reach rivalling its height held a cudgel of unbreaking steel suitably designed for a giant's use. It remained silent, but there was clearly no need to announce its presence. That it was an insurmountable force.

A Titan.

First contact was never a peaceful ordeal when it concerned the Apex Predators, and even though he remained unaware of where he'd just appeared, this encounter would be no exception. This conflict was hardly his first, and it would it not be his last, but simply a prelude to the path of destruction he would blaze.

And so, the journey of the flame-faced demon begins. Beset on all sides by foes and ruin in a devastated warzone.

How fitting for a pilot.


	2. Chapter 1

I don't know how you found this, or why you're still reading, but it makes me happy that you seem to be enjoying this. I am far from a good writer, so if you feel as if this story is missing something e.g. scenes, characters are OOC, tell me how it's flawed and how you'd improve it and I'll do my best to fix it. Without further ado, please enjoy what hopefully won't turn into a protagonist-steamrolls-everything-and-has-a-massive-harem story.

 **Chapter 1**

A cacophony of flashing lights and incessant warnings in the cockpit roused Viper. Understandably, he came to with a splitting headache and in no condition for complex thought. Despite that, in his throbbing head ran a series of questions.

Where were they? How were they still alive?

And most importantly, what the hell just happened?

In the midst of his confusion, Northstar's simple, efficient logic brought him back to earth. _"Pilot, focus on the issue at hand for now, everything else is secondary."_

Despite his throbbing head, Viper barely managed a simple _"Thanks. Where are we?"_

 _"Unknown, satellite connection has been severed. Attempting reconnection."_

Viper wasn't too worried. Considering what they'd just been through, that only a few screws were knocked loose was a blessing. System warnings of his titan's sustained damage stopped one by one and with it, his headache faded, allowing him a few moments of respite.

Only to ram his poor head even harder than before.

 _"Update: No available devices in range. Recommended action is we do whatever we can to survive until we can broadcast a distress signal."_

Viper sighed. Heeding Northstar's advice, he decided to leave the questions for later until they confirmed the state of their own situation. The pilot manually dismissed the few alarms still blaring across the screen, giving him a clear, magnified view of a very alien scene.

Behind the rumors, his military jargon and the impassive visor, Viper was in essence, a veteran soldier. From his brutal training in the Core Systems to the live fire combat on the Frontier, he'd accumulated experience leagues beyond what the average grunt ever would. But even for him, with this setting there was just something, a lot of things actually, that just weren't _right_.

 _"What the hell?"_

Almost everything Viper saw was, or was on, fire. Scores of trees lay collapsed throughout the war zone, crushing the ashes that were likely all that remained of a lush land. But as the pilot was already familiar with the concept of an inferno, that wasn't the point of interest. It was instead the batch of soldiers surrounded by a fiery wall at their backs and a horde of enemies ahead.

At the forefront of this group of tired yet determined people was a man with distinctively deep blue hair. Though bloodied and dirtied, it was still clear that his clothing and armour were of an exotic, ornate design. Standing behind him were soldiers dressed in simpler attire that Viper placed as belonging to the medieval age.

But not even that was the problem. Viper had set foot in enough Militia colonies to not bat an eye at the foreign garb. Yet of all the things he'd seen on the battlefields of the frontier, these medieval weapons were not among them.

Swords, spears, a bow and of all things a book were equal parts understandably and amusingly pointed in his, or rather Northstar's, direction. In the centre was peculiarly a single staff-wielding girl.

"Chrom!" Viper heard a female yell through his titan's sensors. Gazing across the screen, he saw that it was the white-haired woman. "What is that thing?"

That he was just as unfamiliar to these people as they were to him did little to improve his mood.

"I don't know!" The blue haired man known as Chrom yelled back, before falling into a thoughtful gaze. "But it hasn't attacked us yet?"

A gruffer voice tinged with experience took command, "Good enough, because these godless beasts still want to tear us apart! Into formation!"

Needless to say, such a scene was not among the things he'd predicted. In the end, he was fine so long as he and his titan were kept well-equipped and in good condition. Now the only question that remained was who to fight for.

He directed his attention to the other faction, noting their appearance. Simply described, they were walking corpses. Stitches ran across the entirety of their body, a mass of limbs which otherwise would have fallen apart. These monsters exhaled a black smoke that would've reeked of death had Viper been unfortunate enough to be close enough to smell it.

And if all that wasn't enough to convince him to fight for this Chrom, shambling through fires friendlier than their crimson eyes would've been the finishing touch.

 _"So, one group's skilled and sane, while the other…"_ Viper trailed off, unable to describe the distinct lack of survival instincts which fit uncannily well with their physique.

 _"Agreed. Recommend you ally with the surrounded group."_

 _"Right."_ Guiding Northstar onto the closest cluster of enemies, all that remained of the crushed enemies were dissolving limbs and what would've been a shallow crater for a grave.

 _"They're disappearing on death. Is this a simulation?"_

 _"Irrelevant. If it is not, inaction may lead to dire consequences. If it is, there is likely no harm in performing well."_

Viper hummed in thought. In either case, if they split up they'd clear out the enemy faster. After all, nobody needed to tell Northstar of the effectiveness of using her chassis as a crushing weapon. Grabbing his jump-kit from above his head with one hand, he loosened his G-suit's lower straps with the other. For a brief moment he simply enjoyed the relieving sensation of blood flowing back into his legs. _"Star, open the weapons cache and cover me."_

 _"Understood. Note, calculations show that gravity on this planet is significantly lower than Typhon's. Your jump kit will require time to readjust for intricate movement."_

 _"Got it."_

On his command Northstar holstered her own weapon as the mercenary himself grabbed his revolver and a knife, leaving behind the cumbersome rifle clearly manufactured for more robust targets. The hatch opened with a hiss before he dropped knife-first onto a nearby enemy, puncturing its skull.

 _"A forest on fire... We'll have to make this quick."_ Viper scanned his surroundings and sprinted towards the closest available target. He slid across the ashes beneath its crumbling arm, slashing the tendons in its ankles as he passed.

Rising to his feet, he turned around to deliver the killing blow only to come face to face with a slobbering mess. Spittle flew out through what little teeth it had as it threw a punch that Viper barely blocked. His feet dug into the dirt and he pushed back with all his strength against the heavy mass of rotting flesh. A mass that was soon picked up and crushed within Northstar's heavier fist.

 _"Thanks for the save."_ He pondered its inhuman ability to stand, before simply deciding to target vital organs. _"Come on, there's not much time."_

 _"Three swordsmen moving towards the main party, bearing 1-9-7."_ Turning around, the mercenary moved to intercept with his knife in a reverse-grip. He beckoned with his left hand.

The first to attack was a lightly-armoured one, sword poised to sheath itself in Viper's gut. He stepped aside to avoid its thrust, grabbed it by the neck and threw it into its ally where they were promptly crushed by the full weight of a titan.

Ducking under an axe, he shoved his knife into his assailant's pelvis. Following up with a knee to the chin, its head snapped upwards before it fell limp, already beginning to fade.

Viper sprinted towards a duo. He threw his knife at one as they turned and leaped at the other. The flying kick that landed squarely on its face crushed its nose and pushed its neck past the point of no return. In his mind, there were few things as beautiful.

 _"Damn that felt good. I think I like this low gravity."_

 _"Indeed. But be careful, you will be vulnerable while in the air."_

Viper crouched, retrieving his knife before shooting back up when he heard a groan close behind him. He sidestepped a half-rotting spearman as it dashed past him.

 _"So, either humans or these… things, I think we made the right choice Star."_

 _"You needn't have feared what you chose, zombies only eat brains."_

 _"If that were true, most people would live in those movies."_

Viper's attention snapped back to the zombie at the sound of squelching and a snort of disgust. His eyes traced a steel and flesh tipped spear held by a heavily armoured female on horseback.

"Good Tone. You guys alright?"

Breathing shallowly, she nonetheless spoke with a clear and commanding tone. "We're fine. Come on, follow me!" Without waiting for a response, she rode away.

 _"Pilot, we should proceed as well."_ Northstar pointlessly made her presence known, having caught up after violently introducing multiple faces to her feet.

Viper nodded once before following the redhead, glancing over his surroundings. Lava flowing almost endlessly from the ground bathed oak trees with warm light and the now-flaming grass in molten rock.

By the time he made it to the survivors, the swarm had thinned out considerably. The final standing and unfortunately unsuspecting zombie was run through by a man confused and slightly disturbed by the lack of bodies following such an extended conflict.

Now that the more pressing issues were dealt with, the mercenary decided to address a few rather concerning logical inconsistencies in the time before he reached the survivors.

 _"So... there's zombies,"_

 _"Decaying bodies and lack of survival instincts. Conclusion: Optimal physical and mental condition."_

Confirming the increasing degradation of the corpse and watching it foam at the mouth through its fading teeth, the informed man determined it was a lie.

 _"There's lava spewing out of the ground,"_

 _"A common sight in forests. Fire is conducive to the survival of flammable organisms."_

 _"And did she just throw a fireball?"_

Northstar didn't immediately reply. Her single eye moved like a pendulum between the heavily panting woman and the rapidly dissipating body.

 _"A cannon perhaps?"_

The blatant lack of confidence in the mechanically voiced statement made Viper stretch the edge of his lips.

 _"I quite stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that she just violated multiple laws of physics. Hence Pilot, is the result you see before you."_

Viper raised a single brow. Being at least acquainted with many plants, the well-travelled man was confident enough to attest that disintegrating zombies, lava hydrants and fireballs being tossed around were not a common sight. For all three to be present in a single scene could only lead to one conclusion.

 _"Star. Do tell. What kind of crazy-ass planet did we just land on?"_

 _"Pilot, view the connection status. Note that it is still severed. Perhaps we should ask the natives."_

When he reached his potential associates, Viper counted the remaining fighters, taking note of their expressions. No grievers. _"They were severely outnumbered and they're all still alive? Impressive."_

Some of them regarded him suspiciously while others simply cleaned their weapons. Deciding to resolve any conflicts before they arose, he holstered his knife before slowly approaching the man who he knew as Chrom.

"The name's Viper, Wandering mercenary."

Glancing down at Viper's assortment of vividly orange armour and the multitudes of straps, the reasonably confused swordsman paused to gather his thoughts.

"Well met Viper, my name is Chrom and these people," He motioned to the people around him, "are some of the Shepherds."

His gaze lingered on a singular man whose features were obscured by a butterfly mask before amending. "And another."

The leader of the Shepherds was interrupted from speaking further when a nearby tree crashed onto oozing lava and promptly burst into flames. "My apologies, but perhaps we should continue this as we move."

Noticing a heavily armoured man on horseback about to protest, Viper swiftly interjected with a nod. "Alright. Lead the way."

-0-

They say when you run your first gauntlet, you finish a changed man. For one, sufficient experience with a jump-kit practically transformed the battlefield. Though a window on the third storey still granted your enemy the high ground, it also served as your breaching point. For Viper, a walk was an opportunity to familiarize and integrate himself with the Shepherds.

Truly, that would be a sound idea. Except he'd planned with professional soldiers in mind, not a blonde teenager who was relatively delightful for the first few seconds before she opened her mouth. The girl who he would come to vividly remember as Lissa was currently rapidly interrogating him, bouncing about around him as if he were a particularly interesting commodity.

"This looks weird. You look weird. Where are you from? Are those greaves? They're really big. What's that thing poking out of it? Is that a chest plate? You're wearing a lot for someone of your size."

Viper, veteran mercenary capable of tracking the movement of mere dots on the horizon with unwavering accuracy, was hard pressed to keep up. Persevering with a surprising amount of effort, he replied with much less vigor, "Give me a map and I'll show you. Essentially. It's a weapon. No. You seem rather small to be fighting at all."

Up ahead, Chrom smiled, glad that someone could keep and withstand Lissa's attention. Naga knows the excitable girl's energy was sometimes endless. His musing was interrupted by his bodyguard and close friend, Frederick.

"Milord, I implore you, you cannot trust this man so easily. We don't know who he works for and the armour he wears is unlike anything I've encountered before. And judging from that golem, he may also be a powerful mage. If he turns on us, he will be far from easy to deal with."

Chrom chuckled in good nature, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Frederick, I understand your concerns, but I'm sure we'll find our answers. Besides, he fought along with us, much like Robin and Marth. Have faith, my friend."

Slightly appeased for now though still dissatisfied, the devoted knight backed away while glancing at Northstar. He turned his gaze away when it looked back, reluctantly accepting what his charge said.

Meanwhile, Lissa continued to pester Viper. Having just survived a multitude of conflicts, a near-death experience and on top of that being thrown into an entirely unknown environment god knows where in less than a few hours, it was surprising enough that Viper was still standing on his feet.

Despite her blinding optimism, the girl astoundingly had enough tact to notice his growing exhaustion, not to mention frustration, at her constant pestering and backed away. "Ah…. sorry for bothering you! But it was really nice to meet you! Really!"

His shoulders sagged in relief as the mercenary nodded, silently grateful for her tact. Northstar reminded him to stay alert, prompting him to forcibly sideline his fatigue for now. _"Pilot, you are still being observed by that masked stranger, and based on particularly close study, that is indeed a woman."_

Her hand rested on the pommel of a sword, which when the still keen-eyed man inspected, seemed to be a carbon copy of Chrom's. Combined with the fleeting but certain glances she threw his way, her suspicion was undeniable.

 _"And?"_ Viper began. _"What should we do?"_

 _"I recommend observation. Her intentions are currently unknown, but her inaction indicates they are simply cautionary."_ Northstar paused, calculations and plans running through her circuits. _"That may change if we take hostile actions. What do you plan to do with this group? My recommendation is staying with them. Their skills and resources would work to our advantage, not to mention the information we seek."_

Too tired to form a coherent plan at this point, Viper simply agreed and trudged up to Chrom.

"Chrom, I was thinking," He said, ignoring Northstar's robotic snort, "that I'd stick around with you guys. Is that fine?"

Unexpecting the sudden proposal, the leader nonetheless accepted it with an extended hand, ignoring Frederick's reaction of displeasure. "Of course! You risked your life to help us. That makes you a friend in my book."

 _"Because me being an assassin is impossible."_ With a small relieved smile, the mercenary nodded, grasping his new colleague's hand and loosely shaking it.

"Ah, my apologies Viper. You seem tired." Chrom glanced around for a place to rest. At this point his standards consisted of no burning trees or red-eyed monsters, of which there were none. He turned to the rest of the group, stating they'd rest for the night.

Viper looked at Northstar, who understood his silent message.

 _"I'm sure you can trust them."_ She assured before teasing, _"Besides, it would be good for you to get some proper rest outside of a cramped cockpit for once."_

Aside from the metal cage, his choices were rather luxurious given recent events. The lush greenery, stable trees and distinct lack of monsters breathing down his neck was a stark and very welcome change. On a patch of mercifully unburning grass he grumbled, _"Once, that was just one time."_ Before his eyes closed, Northstar noticed the rising heart rates of the Shepherds.

 _"There appears to be unrest among the group. Sending visual and audio feeds to your helmet."_

A few of the Shepherds were talking to a masked person who was unhealthily thin for a soldier.

"Marth," Chrom began. Between his gratitude for the swordsman's timely arrival, his confusing appearance, his distinctly familiar style of fighting and the general chaos which had just been quelled, he had no clue of where to begin. His eyes settled on the sword strapped to Marth's waist. "why does your sword look like mine?"

Marth started, caught between a rock and a hard place. Endure this interrogation or lose sight of their group's most recent addition. He didn't remember him being with the Shepherds before they fought those unnatural foes. Ironically, the reason he was stuck in this predicament was also his key out of it.

"I'm a mercenary." Marth began, ironing out the details of his lie. "I thought it'd be more impressive if I had a sword that looked like the Falchion."

Chrom nodded in understanding while Frederick almost cramped in suspicion. To say the least, the idea of two freelancers travelling with them didn't sit well with him. Especially when one impersonated the leader of the Shepherds of all people.

"Well, I understand why you did it, but can you use a different sword?" Chrom remembered something else. "Ah, and please take a name other than Marth, it could attract some unwanted attention."

Marth decided he may as well come clean. At least a little. "Of course. You may call me Maria, and I'm a woman."

 _"Interesting. Why would she hide her identity?"_

 _"Unknown. Analysis indicates she is still withholding information. Further investigation required."_

After all the zombies, suspicious people, numerous broken laws of physics and hours of fighting, Viper didn't want to do anything but sleep. He half-lucidly rolled over into a comfortable position before falling into the deepest sleep he'd had for a long time.

-0-

The rest of their journey was mostly uneventful. The Shepherds plus three fell into a routine of waking up before alternating between meal times and marching. Rinse and repeat for seven days and seven nights and that was it.

However, Viper did familiarize himself with the rest of the group, finding out Lissa and Chrom were siblings. Briefly noting their clashing hair colours, he surmised their mother likely had some explaining to do.

He'd also removed his helmet in the presence of other shepherds at Chrom's request, who said it was only right to trust your allies with at least that much. He would've complained that Maria didn't have to take off her own mask, but that they didn't pry about Northstar beyond a few simple questions settled his short-lived tantrum.

The variety of personalities in this group, from the loud, tomboyish Sully to the oddly silent woman now known as Maria reminded the shamelessly eavesdropping man of the Apex Predators. Despite the friendly undertones of the freelancers, the uncanny resemblance nonetheless disturbed him to no end.

Another thing of great interest was that despite Maria's hair colour and weapon being identical to Chrom's, they didn't seem to know each other. He surmised that perhaps blue was a common hair colour here

Similarly, the sword's design may also be more common than he thought, but from how the others talked about it, he doubted it. In the end, he just shrugged the matter to the side. So long as it didn't involve him, it wasn't important.

What was not of little importance was Ylisstol, the Halidom of Ylisse. Although he'd seen far larger locations, from one of the IMC's factories to General Marder's research facilities, the kingdom was still refreshingly unique in its architecture, culture and people.

Which really begged the question; How did twenty tonnes of destruction personified and a war-profiteering mercenary manage to set foot in the city without retaliation? Viper recalled how easily the guards were waved off by the blue-haired man, who merely said he'd trusted the duo for fighting alongside them.

As the group, Sully excluded who left early to tend to her horse, walked along the bustling streets, Viper looked over the shopkeepers showcasing various goods from jewellery to consumables. The citizens wore a variety of clothing, and as he expected, a few had blue hair. The layout of the kingdom reminded him of those found in medieval history books, the purpose of which eluded him considering their contents were obsolete in his time of guns and advanced robotics.

Wide streets walled by square brick houses moved in the general direction of a castle sitting on a mountain, with gaps between the houses leading into alleyways. Viper assumed that if there was crime, of which he had no doubt, it'd occur in one of those dark, unpatrolled lanes.

Beyond the variety of clothing and the architecture, what was most important were the weapons of the patrolling guards. Viper noted swords, lances, axes and even bows. But no guns. Not even a pistol, hell he'd even seen more books of all things on uniformed men. Northstar, always curious, threw in her own theory.

 _"Perhaps this planet was also colonized by humans. An unknown event may have caused the technology here to revert to or remain in a more primitive state. As to why they're using texts as weapons, I have no idea."_

All in all, it was an interesting change from the cold, robotic environment of the IMC.

As the group walked through the bustling streets, citizens pointed at Chrom, Viper, and especially Northstar. Having seen this awed behaviour from grunts plenty of times, the soldier dismissed those discussing them to be intrigued by his appearance and afraid of his titan's colossal height.

His thoughts were interrupted when a few children pushed past him, cheering and pointing at something. Eyes following their fingers, he saw a smiling woman dressed in long green robes escorted by what he assumed were her guards.

Robin spoke up, curious about the commotion. "Chrom, who's that?"

Chrom lightly chuckled, already used to Robin's informality while Frederick sputtered in his now-familiar indignation.

"That, Robin, would be The Exalt Emmeryn, ruler of the Halidom of Ylisse."

Curious, Robin continued to question. "Why is she out in the open then? Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?"

Though he didn't voice it, Viper had the same question. Any person out in the open, especially someone as high-profile as a ruler, would very violently lose their head to a Kraber's anti-tank round.

Long ago, an insignificant footsoldier would've questioned the viability of firing an anti-tank round with nought but lightly padded shoulders. Many bruised shoulders later though, that same grunt simply thanked the idiot who developed such excessive firepower. Frederick soon answered Robin's question.

"The Exalt is a symbol of peace, Ylisse's most prized quality." He readily began in a firm, even tone, likely having given this speech many times before. "Long ago, at the dawn of our age, the Fell Dragon tried to destroy our world."

 _"Dragon? Like the wild fauna that overran one of Demeter's moons?"_

Still taking care, Northstar played a cutthroat game of "Don't Step on People". _"Unknown, perhaps Frederick will tell us."_

Closely heeding the armoured man's next words, Viper turned his eyes away from the numerous shops backed by wooden walls of small homes.

"But the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low."

Frederick's tone wavered in triumph before finishing with a slight smile, "Lady Emmeryn reminded us all of the peace we fought for then."

 _"Wait, what? That can't be it. Where's the rest of it?"_ Moving on, Viper absently noted Frederick's unusual behaviour. _"Whatever. First time I've seen him smile."_

Northstar practically pounced on the opportunity. _"Reminds me of someone. Take a guess. He wears oversized greaves, is slightly shorter than average and loves his orange helmet because it adds a few centimetres."_

 _"Oi."_ He grunted, briefly recalling how problematic his height had been, especially when inspiring respect from other hot-headed mercenaries, before refocusing on the conversation.

Chrom confidently took over. "With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her. She's a calming presence when some might otherwise call for war."

"Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her." Robin concluded, understanding dawning on her features.

Lissa giggled, clearly prepared for something. "She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!"

The implications were not lost on Viper. _"They're royalty. Interesting, rich is an understatement."_

Northstar joined in, unwilling to stop her teasing. _"Only slightly, I believe that 'your' idea to join was indeed a very good one."_

 _"Fine, fine. Good thinking Star."_ Moving on, Viper planned what he'd do, _"Well, it's too late to join this Plegia now."_

"Interesting 'sheep' you have Chrom, need any help with herding them?"

The unwary man chuckled in understanding. "Of course! The Shepherds always enjoy having new recruits." Maria tensed at this, and quickly followed with her own request. Needless to say, he simply waved her in to Frederick's distress.

Viper looked around at the slowly dispersing crowd. The palpable cheer gradually dimmed like the late-afternoon sun above as people began to go their own ways. His latest employer - may his contract be long and profitable, but mostly profitable - helpfully supplied the cause. "It looks like Emm's returning to the palace. Would you like to meet her?"

Viper nodded. Any information he discovered could be useful, and he didn't think he'd get many personal audiences with a kingdom's ruler. "May as well. Though I don't see how Star could fit."

Chrom frowned. Regardless of Northstar's intentions, even he could see the danger of having that colossal being in the kingdom longer than necessary, even more so in the palace itself. Though that was a moot point. Going by the sunken footprints left in its wake, the stairs wouldn't be able to support even a fraction of its mass. "Perhaps it can wait in the stables?"

Considering his titan could hear whatever he did, it would be best if they split up and gather information separately. Still, he couldn't suppress the urge to vouch for Northstar's humanity, even if she was a machine.

"Alright, I'll fill her in on the details later." Ignoring the confused looks he received, he made his way to the palace.

-0-

Which was absolutely stunning to Viper. The structure itself slowly reached towards the sky. On its long brick walls sat lines of huge windows through which light, and possibly a pilot, could enter the castle. Inside, green banners bearing the nation's symbol and torches alternated on stone pillars erected in set intervals. These pillars supported a massive roof, a perfect vantage point just waiting to be camped in.

With pilots seeing rapidly increasing use on the battlefields, structures were in turn designed with as few openings that those specialized soldiers could reach. Ylisstol, and likely all other nations in this world, had no such defences. Hence the multitudes of breaching points and angles of attack Viper could exploit with absolute impunity. Thus, his perfectly reasonable excitement.

 _"You pilots never change."_ Northstar's amused voice droned through his helmet. Still consumed like a child in a playground, he didn't respond. Soon enough, Viper had to rein in his imagination, and direct his attention to what was going on around him.

Maria had dismissed herself, saying she didn't want to intrude on the family reunion as well as wanting to meet up with the rest of the Shepherds first. The group let her go without much questioning.

Viper ignored the reunion, seeing that it was mainly greetings, reports of recent events and Virion's declarations of his undying, total love which he gave to most females followed by a loud smack and a louder order of silence courtesy of an irate Frederick. He instead recorded the event for Northstar to analyze while rethinking his priorities now that he had a potential fortune of resources.

He thought about all the parts he'd need to assemble a distress beacon. Which themselves would need to be built from scratch using materials that these people might not even have discovered. Deeming it as too much trouble, he decided repairing Northstar's radio would be far more efficient.

"Ah, Viper, was it?" Suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, the recruit replied how he normally would to an employer.

"Yes ma'am?"

Unfazed by his strange reply, Emmeryn lightly smiled even as her brows furrowed in concern. She radiated warmth like a mother, even though the one she addressed was an outlandish stranger. "Is there something troubling you? You've been silent so far."

Impressed to say the least, he was able to grasp that the Exalt had compassion in droves, and why she could so brazenly step into the open. Adopting the speech of those around him, he answered. "No milady, just thinking about being a Shepherd. I believe my request was perhaps... rather impulsive."

The smile never left the Exalt's features. "You'll find friends you can trust, I'm sure of it." Emmeryn turned back to her brother, regal once more, though her lips were still ever so slightly curved. "Chrom, we are about to hold council, I was hoping you could join us."

"Of course."

As if on cue, Lissa reminded Viper, very loudly, of her presence. "I think that's our cue guys! C'mon, there's a place I want to show you!"

The seasoned pilot managed to suppress a groan of pain, but nothing could stop the familiar ringing in his ear.

-0-

Viper, Lissa and Robin reached the peak of a hill west of the palace from where they saw the Shepherd's barracks. It was merely a large stone building with rows of windows and a wooden door from which snaked the dirt path they themselves treaded. His eye was caught by Northstar waving to him from where he assumed were the stables. "C'mon, c'mon, we're nearly there!"

The pilot easily dodged a princess barrelling past, familiar with similar attacks like a titan's blow, and briskly walked over to Northstar. He pulled off his helmet and left it, and the recordings of his encounter in the palace, in her waiting palm for her to analyze.

"VIPER! COME IN ALREADY!" Impatient as ever, Lissa stood half-inside the door, pouting while stomping on the ground.

 _"Indeed Pilot, you shouldn't keep a lady waiting."_ He joined the princess inside a room in lined the walls to left of the entrance, their wooden counterparts resting on the opposite wall. An assortment of furniture, books and other miscellaneous objects dotted the messy area with neither rhyme nor reason.

And all of it was covered in a dust storm unleashed by a frantic blonde noble dashing over to Lissa. With drills for hair and a sharper tongue, the woman Lissa identified as Maribelle ignored the newcomers in favour of fretting over her "treasure".

"Lissa, my treasure! Are you all right? I've been on pins and needles!" Unsurprisingly, Lissa's friend spoke almost as quickly as her and moved just as swiftly, fretting over every little speck of dirt on the princess.

"Oh, hey Maribelle!"

Viper ignored the chattering girls in favour of looking over his future co-workers. A burly blonde man smirked and flexed his bare chest upon noticing Viper's gaze, rattling the chains wrapped around his shoulders. Unaware of the man's competitive spirit, Viper ignored him and moved on to the person standing next to him.

Draped in a well-worn cloak, the snowy-haired Robin looked on the Shepherd's antics with amusement much to the noble girl's chagrin. Though judging by the laughter she and Vaike shared, they didn't seem to care. On the other hand, the constantly fidgeting girl seemed to have a lot on her mind.

If fourteen new grey hairs were bad, then Sumia had it especially rough. Her steel breastplate belied the anxious thoughts clear from her constantly flickering gaze. Her stuttered questions, weaker defence and sudden relief at Chrom's entrance were clear indications of her infatuation with said man.

 _"Romantic feelings in a group of soldiers. That won't impair judgement at all."_

Northstar rebutted. _"Something, or someone, important to a person could also be their motivation to fight."_

Understanding the meaning, Viper focused on more pressing issues. Namely, the voluntary mission of requesting an alliance from Regna Ferox in preparation for a potential war with Plegia. Curious as to what this nation was, his and Robin's questions were helpfully answered by Sumia.

"A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north. Inhabited by barbarians, or so it's said."

And therefore unlikely to hold the information that Viper needed. During their trek to the Shepherd's garrison, Lissa had talked their ears off about how amazing it supposedly was. Most importantly, she'd mentioned the presence of a library, something Viper was in dire need of in an unfamiliar setting. Based on this, his decision was clear.

"I see. Thanks, but I think I'll pass. Good luck on your mission." With that, Viper dismissed himself, heading in the direction Lissa told him would lead to the Library.

As he walked away through the stone passageways of the Shepherds' Barracks, the same girl realized her missed opportunity. "Aww, I didn't get to show him his room". A knight in the bulkiest armour who had somehow been waiting unnoticed in the corner this whole time was similarly dejected. "Damn, he didn't hear me at all."

-0-

As he explored the barracks in search of the library, Viper encountered something rather unusual at a crossroad. A humanoid figure moved towards him. All he could see was the pointed tip of a hat emerging above a stack of thick books. They began to sway, triggering past experiences with large uncontrollable things and causing him to step back out of the way, alarmed.

Viper watched in morbid fascination as a yelp of surprise preceded a crash rivalling a titan's steps. Given that she was likely a scholar from a planet he had little experience with, this woman might be able to help him. He approached and helped gather up her possessions.

"That's a lot of books. Name's Viper, yours?"

Fixing her glasses upon her nose, she studied her helper's unique appearance with piercing eyes. "My name is Miriel, mage of the Shepherds, are you a recruit?"

 _"Mage? As in magic?"_ Viper collected his thoughts, deciding on what he'd ask. "Yeah. Only arrived a few hours ago. I was hoping you'd show me the library, since you were carrying all those books."

"It will not be a problem, no." Miriel glanced over the books in her helper's arms. "Might you assist me in carrying these texts to the library? I hope to avoid another similar conundrum."

"Lead the way."

Viper followed behind the bespectacled woman, trying to consolidate his thoughts. Trying that is. Much like Lissa, Miriel also had a curious mind, though it was more scientifically inclined.

"That is a very interesting helmet. While it seems to have no exploitable gaps, and I assume from the confidence with which you walk that you can see out of it, would the orange visor not inhibit your vision?"

Not wanting to explain the science behind the polarization and very doubtful that someone else may wear it, Viper simply opted for the response of fewest words. "You get used to it."

"Hmm, that is true, otherwise the reduced visibility and potential distraction would counteract the benefits of the extra protection." Miriel scanned him from top to bottom, theorizing and understanding the roles of the helmet, armour and numerous pockets part of his outfit.

What confused her were the multitude of tight straps, especially those around his lower body. "Though the purpose of those leather contraptions around your groin and legs escapes me."

Few things were causes for concern for an experienced soldier. However, a variety of skills and traits must be exercised to ensure survival. One of them of course, was a healthy dose of paranoia.

As a result, Viper's diverse knowledge and a small amount of catastrophizing lead to him assuming the worst, and that was being labelled a masochist. Obviously, masochism was a trait unconducive to one's survival, and he'd deeply appreciate not being thrown on the frontlines whenever possible.

Hence, the very thorough explanation that followed describing the concepts of high g-forces involved in aerial battles, blood circulation within the body and most importantly, how those leg-straps were used to prevent blood pooling in the legs and not for other _interesting_ activities.

So long was this crucial explanation, that Viper was unaware they had arrived at the library a few minutes before he finished. Trailing off on a tangent he had tactically gone on to distract Miriel from the more compromising ideas, he recognized that most of the hard work of carrying the books was over.

Considering that Miriel has proven herself to be more questioning than most people, it would be ideal to avoid her attention. The easiest method would be to somehow stay away from her, and if she continued to be this curious, he doubted she'd pass up a chance to see first-hand a whole different nation.

"Chrom came in this afternoon about a diplomatic mission to Regna Ferox. They leave at dawn so if you want to make it you should get going." Miriel adjusted her glasses as her eyebrows rose, the only sign of her peaking interest.

"Interesting, thank you for informing me. In that case, may I trouble you to return these books?" The man in question only nodded, slightly bracing for the additional weight. "My gratitude, I would normally do this myself, but I simply cannot miss this opportunity."

Viper's spine creaked in protest at the enormous mound he now carried in his two arms, a weight that even Northstar would note as significant. All he could give in response was a grunted "Right, good luck." accompanied by the clicks of heeled boots on stone.

He entered through the wooden double doors into a large room lined with shelves between which was only enough space for a single person. In light of its possible occupants, the visitor was unsurprised by how much information there was.

Sighing in relief when he dropped his burden upon a desk which bent under its weight, his nose crinkled at the musky scent of what he would come to know as parchment.

 _"What is this smell?"_

 _"The low humidity weakens it, but atmospheric content indicate it originates from the books."_

Reminded of his task, Viper began to return the tomes, most of which dealt with herbs and chemicals. _"Hmm, maybe mage is just their word for scientist?"_ As he continued to replace what he assumed were only a scholar's texts, he glanced along the shelves, eyes landing on a few innocent books, all part of a single series titled:

A Guide to Magic

Its History

And Applications

 _"Well… Fuck."_ The man stood motionless, staring at the foreboding tomes. Northstar, watching through his helmet, promptly agreed. " _Indeed Pilot, this may be problematic._ "

 _"Star, I've a feeling we're not on the Frontier anymore."_

Preparing himself for the worst, Viper took out the first book of the series and opened it to the first page.

 _"Magic is a phenomenon science often cannot explain. Though its origins remain shrouded in mystery, we know that all beings from the tiniest mouse to the largest of wyverns, contain magic."_

Flipping a few pages, he continued to read.

 _"The dominant theory hypothesized by scientists and mages…"_

 _"So mage isn't another word for scientist."_ Viper stiffened, unsettled by the implications. _"Is that beings eventually learn to use magic in some form to increase their own chances of survival."_

Grunts, hordes of spectres and droves of titans, he'd faced them all, but nothing was quite like realizing he was in a new world. No, that wasn't quite right. A completely different universe to be precise. Shakily closing the book, he struggled to deal with the implications of this concept.

 _"No, this is bullshit. That's… that's impossible."_

 _"Pilot, true or not, it is imperative to learn as much as possible in an unfamiliar setting."_

Viper limply nodded. The logic made sense, yet his mind still reeled. He'd never thought he'd fear a book, but as he absorbed lines with damning meanings, he felt completely out of his depth.

-0-

The afternoon heat had long since been replaced by the constant chirping of crickets before Viper accepted that he was in a different universe. It explained everything. The primitive technology. The style of clothing. The casual violations of physics. Even the fading enemies.

This was not the universe he once knew.

The duo was not on the Frontier anymore, and they might never return. Therefore, radioing for help was not an option anymore. They were alone.

Standing up from his position against the wall, the anxious man did the only thing he could think of.

 _"Star _?_ "_ He sought out his friend and confidant.

 _"I am here, Pilot."_ A familiar voice immediately answered. Assured by the presence of his titan, the agitated soldier began to calm down as they evaluated their situation.

 _"Pilot, from a combat perspective, magic seems to be just a shortcut. Thunder, Wind, Fire. All of those spells can be replicated, and more importantly, countered, with the right knowledge and preparation."_

Viper nodded along, broken down to its causes and effects, it was just another weapon he'd have to understand. When he thought of it like that, magic was actually safe compared to death propelled through a metal barrel, or in some cases several.

 _"Medieval weapons and fancy tricks. That's what we're up against. All of which can be solved by a good crushing. Something no one does better than you."_

 _"Flattery will get you nowhere pilot."_

 _"Because you're fat."_

Northstar's single eye froze as Viper chuckled. She had dropped her guard during his confusion, and he had perfectly capitalized on the blunder she'd been led into. Annoyed that she'd been manipulated so casually but relieved that her pilot had gotten a grip, her mechanical drone managed to convey a sense of exasperation.

 _"...I see."_

When it came to combat, there was not much that Viper feared. He doubted there were enemies that could defeat him or Northstar, even if they were alone. Together, they would be almost unstoppable.

But that was only one problem. There was more to life than combat, even for a mercenary. No matter how strong you were, stacking the odds against you on purpose or through ignorance, would undeniably get you killed.

 _"Firstly, I need information. On what's going on in this world. On military tactics. On weapons. I need a world map. If I don't have those, I'm going to make choices that will lead to our deaths."_ Viper grimaced, recalling their close encounter with death barely a week before.

 _"Indeed, weighing your options is pointless if you do not understand what they are."_

 _"I also need resources, metals especially. For repairs, welding metals to her chassis could work. To survive we'll need both of us at our best."_ Northstar merely listened, calculating chances of success and feasible options.

 _"This is a long-term goal, but eventually I'll need something to recharge your batteries. If I don't find one..."_ Viper took a long, deep breath. _"You'll lose power, possibly permanently."_

 _"Viper, at this level of consumption, my batteries will last for a decade. You have plenty of time. I am unconcerned."_

The mercenary remained silent, but beneath his impassive visor was a glimmer of a smile. He was grateful for her presence, and her unwavering trust, two constants in an otherwise unknown world. _"Thank you."_

The goals were feasible, and there was enough time to achieve them. He would not stop, but time allowed for him to slow down and rethink his course of action. The man smiled, shoulders relaxing and mind easing a little. Recalling details of his titan's status, the pilot nonetheless asked for Northstar's confirmation.

 _"My hull is mostly intact. Left leg and arm, specifically the plating and supports, are in serviceable condition. However, until they are fixed, running will risk further damage. Thrusters have also been damaged due to excessive heat exposure, recommend limiting flight times to reduce further damage."_

Viper nodded along, burning details into his mind. He recalled optimal materials for repair. Fortunately, most of the damage were directed on non-vital systems or simple armour, on which he could reinforce with other metals.

But how to conserve power without raising suspicion? He could make excuses and reasons for why Northstar can't fight, but they wouldn't always work. He couldn't appear weak either or he'd risk losing his position. If that happened, he'd lose what could be his only chance to fix his friend. To compensate for Northstar's inactivity, Viper decided to be an asset the Shepherds wouldn't want to let go of.

With feasible goals and a sound plan, the pilot understood that even though he'd taken no challenge like this, all he needed to do was apply whatever skills he'd learned in creative ways. And that, was his specialty.

 _"About time we took an interesting job."_

 _"And this one begins by getting some rest. Come on Viper, it's past your bedtime."_ Even as logic accepted the need for rest, pride flared up at the patronizing tone. It was difficult being a mercenary.

-0-

As Viper wandered through the dark and empty hallways, he realized his short-sightedness. _"Fuck, where are the sleeping quarters? Damnit, I should've asked Lissa where they were."_

Ironic, for a sniper to have such poor foresight at times. At least he knew the way back to the common room, accompanied by one thing he enjoyed.

 _"At least it's quiet. Good for planning."_

In times to come, Viper would curse the day he said those innocent words. He had no idea of what the future had in store for him.


	3. Chapter 2

Scenes don't always advance the plot but I feel they're needed to show character personalities and to develop Viper's relationships with them

 **Chapter 2**

"Wake up!"

Viper's day began with a yell cut off by a thud, the destruction of his eardrums and a snickering princess. He rose, confused and annoyed by how a tiny runt could be such a pain. His first thought was to punch her, with his second one weighing the possible satisfaction against the definite trouble.

 _"Yeah, it's not worth it."_ Trying to rub his aching head only to pat his helmet, he instead settled for glaring at the grinning teenager. Thanks to an inch of polarized plastic Lissa was completely unperturbed, though he doubted it really made a difference.

"Come on, breakfast is ready!"

 _"Deep breaths. Count to four, exhale. Count to four, inhale."_ Having dealt with similarly… assertive employers, his experience proved crucial to keeping his cool.

Following the lively princess through torch-lined halls, Viper posed a question that was rather overdue. "Where are the sleeping quarters?"

A silence followed. Lissa had uncharacteristically ignored him, continuing to make her way to the dining hall. Already weary when the sun had barely broken the horizon, he stifled a groan and said. "Fine, you win. I'm sorry for ditching you."

Lissa twirled around, eyebrows raised in anticipation.

"May you please tell me where the sleeping quarters are now?"

Hands held behind her back, she took a moment to think with her usual cheeky grin on her face. "Alright. But after breakfast."

Skipping ahead while humming a merry tune, she chastised him over her shoulder as if he were a child. "Oh, and since it's only proper manners, next time you should say my name first."

While the explanation for Lissa's near-limitless optimism soared over his head with miles to spare, the irony did not escape Viper. He shifted his pace, moving alongside the princess. Strangely enough, only the rhythmic clack of their boots on the floor resounded through the halls.

For the pilot, it was a welcome surprise, though Northstar seemed to have other ideas.

 _"Pilot, she is unusually quiet, perhaps you should ask her about the mission."_

 _"Why?"_ It was rare for Northstar to display any measure of concern for their colleagues. He amused himself with the idea that perhaps, her motherly instincts were sparked by the young girl.

 _"She is royalty. A positive relationship with her will work to our advantage."_

Naturally, the machine proved that notion to be false.

Viper shrugged, conceding to her point. He coughed once and Lissa turned to look at him.

"You nervous about the mission?"

Lissa twirled her hair in her fingers, eyes straying across the stone walls. She opened her mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say for once. Instead of a wave of things she was excited about as he might have expected, only a soft "yeah" came out.

"About what?"

The girl twirled her locks between her fingers, uncertain of what to say. "Failure." She said, surprisingly faintly. "It's my first big mission you know? I'm scared of letting everyone down."

 _"Oddly specific. Wonder what happened?"_ Viper evaluated what he knew of the Shepherds. Despite their flaws, from what little he'd seen they performed admirably.

"Maybe the scale of your mission is bigger. But, your role, something you've effectively fulfilled to this point, has not changed."

"I suppose…" Lissa smiled, a small fraction of her usual optimism returning to her features. "Thanks Viper, I think I needed that."

"No worries."

 _"Well done Viper, it seems you're not completely deficient in social skills after all."_

 _"Oi, I don't see you comforting insecure teenagers yourself."_

Northstar would've continued had the duo not just entered the dining hall, becoming privy to one curious scene that baffled them for differing reasons.

The absurd sight of a grown man in full armour savouring a variety of treats and desserts was, like most recent events, not within the pilot's expectations. Through his helmet, Northstar analyzed the most recent foodstuff being devoured.

Oversaturated in sugars with few of the necessary nutrients required for a healthy body, she failed to come up with a theory as to why a soldier was gorging himself on it.

Lissa was thinking something much different.

"Stahl?" The man now known as Stahl froze, turning to the two with a cupcake dangling precariously from his mouth. He pulled it out before answering.

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you with Chrom? I thought you'd want to go on the mission."

Stahl stood there in deep thought. Viper practically saw the gears slowly turning in his head. Constant grinding accompanied an intense battle between centripetal force and rust accumulated over years of disuse. On closer inspection, he realized he was literally seeing it, and chuckled at the seamlessly edited feed.

The man under scrutiny looked to the pilot, and then to the princess, and then asked. "There was a mission?"

A similar battle occurred in Viper's own mind. Years of practiced self-restraint barely held back the undignifying snort that made it halfway through his throat. He didn't think the Shepherd's lack of organisation ran this deep.

 _"Royalty or not, I'm thinking of leaving."_

 _"Recommend you stay, I'm sure their strengths outweigh their… quirks."_

Lissa's reaction was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Holding her face in her hands, she groaned. "Damnit Vaike…"

Looking out the window, she saw it was well beyond dawn. "And now I'm late as well! Stahl get ready and catch up. Viper, the sleeping quarters are to your right and up the stairs. Your room is third from the end on the left!"

The two men stared at Lissa sprinting out of the room. Remembering what the frenzied girl had said, Viper turned to the frozen man.

"You going after her?"

Stahl jerked into action, shoving away the uneaten desserts in his arms before running for the stables. Exasperated, the mercenary only shook his head at the familiar mess of clashing personalities.

 _"Weird bunch."_

 _"Seems to be a trend around you."_

-0-

On the crossroad while walking to the library, Viper watched a scene near-identical to the one the day before play out. A humanoid figure moved towards him. All he could see was the pointed tip of a hat emerging above a stack of thick books. "Need some help?"

The figure paused, before turning to its side and staring at Viper.

 _"Yeah, I don't think that's Miriel."_

 _"Agreed. That is a boy barely reaching her waist."_

"Um, did you need something?" In his youthful innocence, the boy did not question what the stranger was doing in the Shepherd's barracks.

"Right, new recruit here. Name's Viper." Making sure the young boy wouldn't be paralyzed for life, he grabbed some books from the pile. The boy tried to nod gratefully, only to knock his chin on the stack of leather-bound books. He settled for a smile before introducing himself.

"Thanks, my name's Ricken. Are you going to the library as well?"

Viper took the opportunity to learn more about this world. Shuffling the books in his arms to a more comfortable position, he walked alongside the boy. "Yeah, I was going to learn some more about magic."

Ricken's eyes began to glow with an excitement that almost blinded Viper.

"Really? I was just about to brush up on magical theory. Maybe I could teach you!" The boy shrunk a little, nervously looking away. "Well, I'm not really good myself, but Miriel tells me I learn quickly."

Viper grunted, amused by Ricken's resemblance to the princess. "Sure, why not."

As they entered the library, Viper dropped the tomes on a nearby table before moving to the bookshelf.

"Alright kid. Give me a rundown of what you know." Masking his own ignorance, Viper randomly pulled out a hefty leather-bound text; the second of a thorough series detailing the more militaristic uses of magic.

 _"For a medieval planet, it's surprising that their language is identical to ours."_

 _"Indeed, a most fortunate development. Though the attention to detail in matters concerning war is to be expected."_

Peeved at the way he'd been addressed, Ricken nonetheless ignored it and responded animatedly. He opened his own book while outlining his lessons. "So far, I've learnt about the three elemental magics, Fire, Wind and Thunder."

"Fire, wind and thunder?" Thinking of the possibility of using thunder magic as an alternative battery for Northstar, Viper continued to read, feigning knowledge of what he heard. "And?"

"Well, anything produced through magic is temporary, which mages theorizes is the reason why tomes don't last very long, especially more powerful ones like Arcthunder and Thoron." Ricken recited, it seemed Miriel had drilled this into his head.

"Never mind, can't use thunder then." Viper, having realized he had no clue what wyverns or pegasi were, surreptitiously glanced sideways to see Ricken nose-deep in his texts before replacing what alone amounted to an encyclopedia with a more suitable manual; the first in the series he'd picked up.

 _"Wyverns and Pegasi?"_

 _"Creatures commonly depicted in fantasy. As to how they would have appeared through evolution is a mystery, considering the ability to move quickly on both land and air would be redundant."_

"How would you apply wind magic in combat then?"

Ricken perked up, his passion for learning magic clear in the words tumbling out his mouth. "Well, Miriel tells me I'm not ready to fight yet, but if I had to, I could use my size to make others underestimate me." Ricken trailed off, clearly upset by how others treated him.

"Anyone can be a threat, even you." Viper assured. "But it's best to train more before you head for real combat."

Having seen the poor decisions hotshot mercenaries blinded by glory and riches make, Viper hoped his advice was taken seriously. It happened with Slone, before she became the Lieutenant Commander of the Apex Predators, rather than another corpse left in some obscure desert.

"Thanks, I guess you're right." Chuckling nervously, Ricken posed his own question. "How come you're asking about me so much?"

Viper waved off the question with his own. "How else would I test you? Anyways, you didn't answer me."

"Oh yeah, well." Ricken eyebrows furrowed in thought as he recited his lessons. "Wind magic is especially effective against fliers because it encompasses a wide area, making it difficult to dodge. It can also thin the air around them, forcing them closer to the ground where they're more vulnerable to archers."

Slightly short of breath, Ricken looked to Viper who simply nodded. From the boy's answer, he could with much gratitude confirm the existence of aerial forces, what with medieval warfare being distinctly devoid of similar soldiers in his own world.

"Impressive. Miriel teach you that as well?" Viper gained a newfound respect for the teenager, whose drive and ability reminded him of Slone. Ricken opened his mouth, before closing it when he looked to the entrance.

Viper turned to the doorway as well. Maribelle was walking towards them, signature parasol in hand and perpetual frown healthy as ever. "Why are you two so loud? You do know this is a library."

Ricken shrunk into himself, suddenly meek when just before he was so energetic. "Sorry Maribelle, we were just talking... about magic."

Seeing the young boy in no state to talk, Viper decided to divert the noblewoman's attention. "Name's Viper."

Her eyes narrowed further in suspicion. "The mercenary? Lissa told me a lot about you. Recruit or not, Chrom is often too quick to trust in others. Tread carefully."

Viper nodded, appreciative that there was someone other than Frederick to keep Chrom in line. Even if it was a futile effort.

"Understood."

Maribelle 'hmphed' before leaving, having shared her piece. Soon after, the tension possessing Ricken lifted. For a person who could be so animated, it was a peculiar reaction. "She scares you?"

Ricken released a long weary breath. "Yeah. Even though we're both nobles, she's still so overbearing."

Reminded of the disaster that resulted from their mercenary group not cooperating against the Militia Pilot threat, Viper felt the need to foster unity within the people he'd likely be fighting alongside in the foreseeable future. And solving a problem began with identifying it. "You're a Shepherd as well though, so why?"

The aspiring mage's head snapped up in confusion. "Huh? Oh, I'm not a Shepherd, I'm only here so that it's easier for Miriel to teach me."

Rather than being solved, it seemed problems would be popping up instead. Viper palmed his face as he reassessed his situation. He'd just joined a group of soldiers rife with infighting, recruitment of strangers and housed civilians within its headquarters.

"Um, Viper, what are you doing?" Ricken moved around to observe Viper's posture.

"It's just something I do if something stupid happens in front of me."

The impressionable boy began to copy Viper, wondering if this was some social custom he'd been unaware of, never once taking note that the man he was copying was more or less dressed in bright orange spandex. With his tutor, it wouldn't be surprising if his social skills were lacking. Bringing his palm to his face, he looked through his fingers for Viper's reaction.

"Yeah, just like that." Viper nodded in approval while thinking back to his previous issue. Though the noblewoman seemed rather disagreeable, he was sure that a little patience and reason would go a long way when talking to her.

"Anyways, you need to solve whatever problem you and Maribelle have. Stay calm, talk sense and I'm sure she'll respond in kind."

Ricken paid rapt attention, determined to make others see him as more than just a child. Viper was about to elaborate before he was cut off by the familiar drone of his titan.

 _"Pilot, I require your assistance."_

Viper mulled over those words. The existence of something dangerous to Northstar in this world, magical or not, was doubtful. Therefore, the problem was likely not something that could be solved by punching it, one of his and his titan's talents. Instead, it was probably one of a more delicate nature.

Though Northstar's database contained possibly the largest amount of content in this world, amongst its ones and zeros the concept of tact was still nowhere to be found. Though when she thought about it, Viper wasn't much better off in that regard.

 _"On my way."_

"Viper?"

Reminded of the boy next to him, Viper thought of a simple supportable lie. "Sorry to cut this short, but I just remembered I need to get my room sorted, being a new recruit and all."

"Oh, I can help!"

"Don't worry about it, I got this." Viper casually waved him off. "You should keep studying. Being a soldier won't be easy, especially not a Shepherd."

The young boy deflated, but accepted the experienced man was right. "Welcome to the Shepherds. It was fun talking to you."

"Same here."

 _"Situation?"_

 _"Maria is thoroughly observing me. It is... unusual."_

Viper snorted, unsurprised it would be something as simple as this. For a war-machine which usually categorized others as either Kill, Protect or Ignore, it would be difficult to react appropriately to someone like Maria that was neither hostile nor friendly yet still of importance.

 _"Now you know how others feel about your stare. For now, just observe her, keep her interest, play 21 questions or something until I arrive."_

 _"Play 21 Questions?"_

Viper groaned, despite their years together, Northstar still had a long way to go.

 _"You ask a question. She answers. She asks a question. You answer. Repeat."_

 _"Understood. Objective: Keep Maria immobile until pilot arrives. Recommended Strategy: Play 21 Questions."_

-0-

While Viper learned magic from his unwitting tutor, Northstar waited in the stables, studying her new companions to pass the time. She likened the building she crouched in to a large barn house, constructed of wood in a simple shape. The open windows allowed for a draft of wind to blow over the ground, occasionally sending loose straws of hay tumbling around.

Once again, she was reminded of the inconveniences her colossal size provided in this world of foot soldiers and cavalry. On thinking of cavalry, she looked over the mounts grazing on a stack of hay in the corner furthest from her. It was an understandable choice of location, considering that the building barely permitted her diminished form.

 _"No pens or doors and a colossal war machine in the same room. An incentive to leave yet the opportunity is not taken. Well-trained, or stupid. Physical abilities unknown. Conclusion, further observation required."_ She would've continued her analysis if it weren't for the masked woman in the room.

Maria stared at Northstar. Northstar stared back. Roaming her eyes over every inch of the titan, the swordswoman tried to piece together how she would defeat it. In kind, the titan's ocular systems unerringly tracked Maria's own movements, noting habits like the perpetual hand on the pommel of her sword. Deciding enough was enough, Northstar did the only thing she could think of.

 _"Viper, I require your assistance."_ A few moments passed in silence as she wondered what was keeping him from responding.

 _"On my way."_ Northstar simply waited. Since Viper usually had an appropriate answer, simulating possible scenarios would only waste her processing power. Now that her pilot was on his way, she felt much more at ease with Maria's persistent gaze.

"Viper?" A young boy's voice transmitted through the radio.

As soon as he lost his follower that is. Northstar waited patiently, paying special attention to the innocent lie Viper told Ricken. It would be problematic if it wasn't supported after all.

 _"Situation?"_

 _"Maria is thoroughly observing me. It is... unusual."_

Northstar noticed Maria moving behind her, eyes likely tracing over every inch of her chassis. The implications of her actions were lost on both, especially when one was supposedly a golem.

 _"Now you know how others feel about you. For now, just observe her, keep her interest, play 21 Questions or something until I arrive."_

 _"Play 21 Questions?"_ Northstar didn't understand how an interrogation would be thought of as a game. Perhaps this was another unusual human thing.

 _"You ask a question. She answers. She asks a question. You answer. Repeat."_

Northstar understood now, it was just trading information, learning from one another. The prospect of learning replaced Northstar's confusion with interest.

 _"Understood. Objective: Keep Maria immobile until pilot arrives. Recommended Strategy: Play 21 Questions."_

Refocusing on Maria, Northstar gauged the worth of finding her answers non-verbally. The conclusion was: Unviable. Resigning herself, she spoke.

"Hello." Maria started and stepped back before looking around, clearly alert even behind her mask. Seeing no one around, she turned back to the titan, wondering if it was her imagination.

"It wasn't." Northstar spoke, amused by the woman's reaction.

Quickly regaining her composure, Maria spoke with only slight uncertainty. "You can talk?"

"Of course not." The titan drily replied. Northstar crouched lower. "Would you care to play a game of 21 Questions?"

"...Fine. First, what are you?"

Northstar considered her position. An entirely new universe likely had no idea of the meaning of what she said. "I am a Northstar-class titan designated OA-5-8-7-1, linked to Pilot Viper."

Maria frowned at Northstar's words, undeterred by the terms. "What does that mean?"

"Patience, I believe it is my turn."

Maria clicked her tongue, clearly dissatisfied. "Go ahead then."

"Her motivations are unclear, but it is unlikely they are hostile rather than… protective?" Northstar decided that if nothing was ventured, nothing was gained.

"Why do you continue to conceal your identity?"

Maria stepped back, disturbed by the implications of Northstar's knowledge. She opened her mouth.

"Lying will not work."

Closing her mouth, Maria thought over what she could give away. "I know of things to come and I refuse to let them happen. That is why I must hide my identity."

"Knows of things to come. War with Plegia likely. Knowledge of Plegia's plans?"

Northstar moved closer once again, making sure no one would overhear them. "Then in that case, I recommend that you lower your voice. It is your turn."

"You told me what you were, but not what it meant."

"What matters is that I take orders from only Viper. Though I am capable of my own actions if they do not contradict his orders or jeopardize his safety."

Northstar calculated plans involving this woman. "If she has knowledge of Plegia's plans, she will be a valuable ally."

Northstar's ocular systems were nearly touching Maria now. The woman backed up warily. "I understand your suspicion of us, but know this, we and the Shepherds share compatible goals. It would not work to our advantage to endanger Ylisse."

Maria relaxed for only a moment. "How do I know you're not lying?" For Northstar, this was an easy question with only one truthful answer.

"As of now, you can't. However, based on the Shepherds leaving to request reinforcements from Regna Ferox, there will likely be a war between Plegia and Ylisse. Our intentions will be clear then."

Turning towards the doorway, Northstar looked at Viper, who had arrived earlier. She lifted a single fist larger than her conversational partner and pointed at her pilot. "If you want to know more, you should ask Viper."

Turning around with a deft movement of her foot, Maria visibly tensed as her hand tightened around the pommel of her sword.

Viper held his hands up, hoping to quell her agitation before it worsened. "I heard that you're working against what sounds a lot like the future, and I'm willing to help."

"I don't need any help." Despite her harsh words, Maria's hand had already left its perch. "Why should I trust either of you anyways?"

"Well. You've probably figured it out by now, considering how much you seem to know," Maria reached for her sword again. "but I'm not from around here."

"What do you mean?"

Viper dismissed her question with a wave. "What's important is that I don't know as much as you about what's going on in the world. Knowing what you do will make sure I don't get Northstar or myself killed."

"You expect me to trust you with what I know when you and… Northstar keep your own secrets?" With blatant refusal, Maria moved past the mercenary. Viper stepped aside, letting her pass without challenge.

 _"Pilot, recommend you try again."_ He was surprised by Northstar's persistence. A determination which could only mean there was something special about this woman.

 _"Why?"_

Whether Maria knew what she claimed was debatable at best and she had resolutely refused. Any further action might only antagonize her.

 _"A gut feeling, if you would."_

For an advanced artificial intelligence, it was hardly a rational argument. But rational or not, Northstar was still his trusted companion. Viper relented with a sigh. "Maria."

She paused.

"You have no reason to trust me. I understand and respect that. Which is why I'm offering to help you. You don't need to tell me anything yet. Just give me a chance to prove to you that I'm worth your time. Fair?"

Unfazed by Viper's resolve, a few moments passed in silence as she critically regarded the mercenary. He didn't do so much as twitch in response.

Maria turned around and stared at him.

"...Fair. But that doesn't mean I trust you… yet."

Having been acknowledged, Viper extended a hand towards her.

"Goodbye." With an almost imperceivable rise of her lip, she left Viper alone in the stable with Northstar.

He stared at his hand left abandoned in the air and clicked his tongue. Returning it to his side, he looked back at the empty doorway.

 _"So uncivilized."_

 _"Dear me, Viper. Are you perhaps sad?"_ Northstar patronized, projecting images of her patting his head on his helmet.

 _"Why would I be sad?_

 _"You were rejected. Again."_ Viper rolled his eyes at Northstar's stressing of the last word and removed his helmet, only to see a hologram of the very same scene.

 _"Oh for fuck's sake. Seriously?"_

The pictures ceased and the hologram shimmered out of existence. Even so, Northstar's humour at his expense continued as servos, gears and metal plating moved in perfect harmony to produce a rapid vertical oscillation of her shoulders.

She was laughing at him. Viper felt the pang of his injured pride, but chuckled anyways as he refitted his helmet. The familiar banter was a godsend to both of them in an otherwise unfamiliar world.

 _"Some things never change."_

 _"My apologies pilot. Either way, recommend you be proactive about this."_ Northstar recalled their tour around the Kingdom. "Patrolling Ylisstol is a good start. It will familiarize you with your surroundings and how to fight without a jump-kit."

He looked down at his attire, remembering how eye-catching it'd be in the medieval city. _"I'll need to find different clothes first. No point painting a giant target on my back."_

 _"Indeed. But first, you should sort out your room, that is what you told Ricken."_

 _"Right."_

-0-

The second storey of the Shepherd's barracks overlooked a setting which was becoming quite familiar; a forest which, fortunately, was not on fire. Northstar crouched outside the window of Viper's room. Sparsely furnished with a single bed, table, chair, a wardrobe and a mirror.

 _"I recommend we now take stock of what we have."_

Viper agreed, somehow rather tired despite it only being afternoon. Northstar's hatch popped open with a short hiss, revealing a mass of cables and buttons which had left his head spinning the first time he'd seen it.

Northstar reached into the cockpit and pulled out a pile of ammunition, equipment, weapons and other miscellaneous objects for Viper to assess.

Twelve cartridges remained for the Wingman revolver and four for the Kraber sniper. The shortage of ammo was caused by his assumption that he could always loot the battlefield for weapons and munitions. Clearly, he was wrong.

Northstar held up a spare radio he very much appreciated. Instantaneous, quiet and long-distance communication in a world of parchment and shouted commands would be a huge advantage.

Next were a variety of items referred to as boosts. Fortunately for him, the standard pilot kit for those in the wealthy Apex Predators contained several of those versatile tools.

Unfortunately, after all the crash landings, damage sustained and general chaos, most of those fragile tools were broken.

Luckily, one remained.

Unluckily, it was also the one he intensely disliked.

 _"A bloody Phase Rewind... That's experimental technology. Loving my track record with those by the way."_ Viper drawled out the loving, irritated at the memory of the IMC, or more specifically General Marder and that perfectly reliable ancient weapon of his. _"Seriously, one small test and suddenly he thinks it's good to go for destroying planets."_

 _"Seems he was inspired by other planet destroyers. Either way, you should keep it, just in case."_

What he saw next reminded him of his former leader. He slightly smirked at the half a dozen throwing knives, amused by how they'd be impractical at best in normal circumstances.

 _"It fits a rather niche situation. One we happen to be in."_

Speaking of niche situations, Viper looked over the last surviving item in the pile. It was in his opinion, with the pilot's mobility and constant need to move in mind, the most useless item in the pile.

 _"Which idiot thought pilots would need a snap hook of all things?"_

 _"Well… Pilots are resourceful?"_

Deciding to keep the likely useless tool in the space vacated by the broken boosts, he finished his recount.

Viper looked out the window to stare at the red dot of light hanging outside the window, reflecting the glow of the sky on a crimson backdrop. An understanding struck him as he dragged his hands down his helmet.

 _"What's the time?"_

Northstar looked up. _"From the position of the sun… thirteen hundred and seven hours, your lack of focus is likely caused by not having eaten for over 26 hours."_

Surprisingly, Viper was in fact, a human. Which meant he couldn't go for half a year without sustenance and function properly like the snake he was named after. Now that he had no other pressing concerns, it'd be prudent to find food.

 _"Lunch sounds good."_

-0-

What Viper envisioned was a very uncomplicated and straightforward job. Get in. Grab the target. Get out.

But if there was one constant in recent events, it was that nothing went as initially planned. Consequently, he found himself sitting across a food-laden table from Maria, who seemed just as pleased with this as he was.

Absolutely not at all.

Life as a mercenary was quite simple, not necessarily easy, but simple. Death beams? Walk away. Relentless torrents of armour-shredding bullets? Walk away. Shady general with no respect for life tasking your faction with transporting an object ominously named the Ark? In hindsight, Viper really should've walked away from that one.

In short, many of his problems could have been solved by simply walking away. Regrettably, this was not one of them, for it was one that Viper himself instigated. Partly at least. Truth be told however, learning about the city of Ylisse from Maria would be well worth the inconvenience.

What Viper didn't expect was that Maria herself came forward. So here he was, sitting across from her at a table in the dining hall, his beloved helmet off for the sole reason that he was eating. Though unable to supply her usual jokes at Viper's expense without alerting Maria, Northstar was still able to listen to their conversation, saving him the effort of explaining it to her later.

"You're not from around here are you?"

 _"What gave it away? My gear, the titan or the portable jet engines?"_ Biting back the remark, Viper shook his head.

Even behind her mask, her curiosity was still clear to him. Though she ignored it in favour of more pressing issues. "Which means you don't know your way around the kingdom."

"Not as well as I'd like."

"I see." Clearing the food on the table to the side, Maria laid out a map across the wooden surface. "Listen closely, because I'm only going to say this once."

Already accustomed to similar briefings from his time as a mercenary, he had no complaints with those demands. "Right."

Maria spoke with confidence, a clear sign of her knowledge on the subject.

"Ylisstol was founded nearly a thousand years ago during The Schism by the first exalt shortly after defeating the Fell Dragon Grima."

Though this Schism peaked Viper's interest, something that happened that long ago wouldn't be relevant, so he didn't interrupt.

She began to point out each location on the map as she listed them,

"Since the city was established with the mountains to its south, only three walls needed to be built. Within them are a total of six city barracks, three of which are in the western quarter, two in the north and one in the east."

Viper surmised that this unequal distribution was a result of varying threats, what with Plegia being west of Ylisse. With no guards at the south, aerial forces employed en masse would bypass the mountains entirely and the defences Viper was aware of.

"So what about the south?"

"A ground force can't hope to cross the mountains by the time they're spotted by the patrolling pegasus knights, and without them for support, Plegia's wyverns will be shot down by the battalions of archers manning the walls long before they reach them."

The explanation made sense to Viper, who didn't question how she knew all this but merely nodded for her to continue.

"After the barracks is the marketplace. This is where foreigners, usually Feroxians, and Ylisseans trade their wares for gold or other items."

Noting the position of her finger on the map, he found it to be uncomfortably close to Ylisstol's walls and voiced his concerns.

"That's true, but the marketplace is made up of crude stalls and the items sold there are easily replaced. Nothing much would be lost if it was attacked, and that's why it's right after the barracks."

"Makes sense."

"What comes after is what truly makes Ylisse special." For the first time Viper had seen, she smiled. Curiously, it was fleeting and bittersweet. "This is where the people of Ylisse live peacefully, kept safe by the patrolling guards, and it's absolutely stunning during the celebrations. It's the heart of Ylisstol..."

A silence overtook the room as Maria's words trailed off. Perturbed, Viper looked up and laid eyes upon an unusual sight.

Maria had her hand pressed against the map, completely still. Before, that mask often reminded Viper of the generals of his own world with their austere expressions. Yet as he watched the pale, thin girl sit there, with her thoughts drowning out her surroundings, he now felt that the comparison was superficial at best.

"Maria?" He almost whispered.

"W-what? Oh, right."

Shaken out of her stupor, Maria let loose a deep breath. Deciding to sideline her abnormal reaction for now, he led the conversation back on track. "Which would make the palace the brain."

She bit her lip and paused for a moment. "That's right. This is where the Exalt rules all of Ylisse, protected by her royal guards at all times, and if they are not preoccupied, the Shepherds. Only the most competent and loyal soldiers are given this privilege."

Viper had a feeling that this was where the crux of the issue lied, whatever it was. "But their influence over Ylisse is limited simply because leaving the Exalt is too dangerous."

Maria smirked. "Sharp as ever."

He furrowed his brow, thinking of the implications of those words. "What? It's been barely a week since we met. What do you mean by as ever?"

She went silent for a moment. "A slip of the tongue."

He stared at her, not sure what to make of her reaction. "Right… Then in that case, what about the city's guards? What stops them from dealing with Ylisse's problems?"

"Usually, they only deal with petty crime and the occasional fight. But if there were a hidden enemy within Ylisse's walls, say, from Plegia, it's a threat they weren't trained for."

"Which is where we come into the picture."

"Yes. That's why I've decided that we will patrol Ylisse at night, and if we find any threats, we will deal with them."

He sighed, swearing on his honour as one of the priciest mercenaries, that someday, somehow, he would be generously rewarded for his troubles.

"You understand the city's layout?"

"Yes."

"And our objective?"

For Viper, dealing with threats often meant shoot, stab, blow up or otherwise maim a particular person or group of people. For a pilot, there was only one acceptable answer.

"Crystal."

"Then we will begin our patrols tonight."

-0-

As enjoyable as fighting was, so long as Viper clearly had the upper hand that is, the long waiting periods were rather tedious. But an unprepared soldier was a dead one, and he was no stranger to preparation, so it was hardly an inconvenience.

His new attire was a different story. Having long realized that a futuristic soldier flying around in spandex would be distinctly noticeable in the medieval city of Ylisse, he opted for a change in equipment; which naturally included the removal of his helmet and jump-kit, the second brain and pair of legs for a pilot. Combined with the long nights of patrolling for an unseen enemy with someone he barely knew, he was understandably on edge.

In spite of it all, he still felt a sense of relief from the loaded revolver and half a dozen knives tucked into various pockets of his navy-blue outfit. The company wasn't too unpleasant either, seldom speaking unless it was required.

All in all, the past seven nights spent patrolling weren't too bad, and things were looking up for him. On the flip side, things would be looking very, very down for a group of bandits.

Viper peeked around the corner into the narrow alleyway, seeing twelve soldiers. Clad in leather armour, most carried iron axes and swords that were kept in decent condition. The one in the middle however, wore robes and held a book he recognized as the intermediate fire tome Elfire. All of them, with the exception of the mage, carried unlit torches on their belts. "Fancy equipment. How the hell did they sneak that past the guards?"

Taking a deep breath, Viper whispered to the woman beside him. "You have a plan?" Maria dressed in her usual outfit and stern as ever, shook her head.

Viper noticed that there wasn't enough space for both of them to fight effectively in the alleyway. Looking around, he realized they didn't have to fight side by side.

"Alright, I'll climb over," Viper pointed to the ledge a metre above their heads, "and blindside them. Fair enough Princess?"

Maria head jerked towards him. "What?" She hissed.

Viper rephrased, "I'm flanking them."

"No, what did you just call me?"

"Hm? Princess."

She scowled. "Don't call me that. Call me Maria."

The mercenary peeked around the corner, the thugs were moving. "Right. They're starting to move. On your mark."

Maria opened her mouth to respond before Viper jumped to the ledge and clambered onto the roof. Viper crept across the brick rooftop, footfalls silent as he eavesdropped on the bandit leader, a rugged, heavily scarred man with an axe to match.

"Remember, all we're doing is torching a few buildings and then getting out quickly. We'll slowly bleed Ylisse dry!" The men hoisted their weapons and lightly cheered, settling into a march.

Viper continued to creep forward, waiting for Maria to begin. At the thud of a body hitting the brick wall he silently dropped, plunging his knife into the skull of his unsuspecting target. Immediately pulling it out, he threw it at another's neck.

Two drops, no sounds, at least from the ones he'd killed. Just how he liked it.

The three closest men that were still alive turned in surprise. Demonstrating their experience, their shock didn't last long. They raised their weapons and charged in formation, crowding the entire alleyway. "No space to dodge. No jump-kit either."

He tossed another knife at the swordsman in the middle. By a stroke of luck and a little skill, he managed to deflect it, sending it flying above his head to clatter harmlessly against the ground a few metres behind him. Leaving him open for the second to cleanly sink into his throat.

Even as the man dropped, another one hopped over his corpse and took his place as if nothing had happened.

Viper turned around and ran, leading them away from the rest of their group. Weaving through alleyways, he made sure to stay out of sight yet within hearing range. Stopping a few metres after turning a corner, he waited, hand gripping one of his three remaining knives.

The first one to turn the corner keeled over in pain, gurgling and grabbing uselessly at the knife in his chest. Viper dashed forward and buried his fist in the gut of the second man. A sword from the third threatened to behead him, but he leaned back before kicking the face of the thug he'd just punched.

The brutalized man collapsed, dropping his axe to clutch his head. The swordsman stepped in front of his ally. After a few moments, the man on the ground grabbed at his axe and somehow managed to rise, albeit shakily and sporting the beginnings of a bruise.

"If I had my jump-kit…"

He stared down the two thugs, noting their wide eyes as signs of their breaking morale. He shuffled, spurring them to panicked action.

The axeman charged first as the swordsman followed. Viper sidestepped the falling axe and ducked under the sword. He planted his hands on the ground and snapped a leg back, tripping the axeman before sweeping the swordsman onto his back with the same leg.

He shot upwards, slamming his fist back down against the swordsman's chin and driving his knee into his groin. The swordsman curled into himself in pain before being impaled by his own sword.

Viper turned to face the survivor. The same axe the bandit resolved to end lives with blurred in his trembling arms. His will was broken by how quickly everything had gone so wrong. Though the light in his eyes was rather out of place.

Especially when the walls also suddenly brightened, accompanied by a roar not unlike a titan's thrusters.

Shocked into action, Viper tumbled to the ground just in time for the fireball that would've slammed into his back to pass over his head. Enveloping his body in a scorching wave of heat as it passed, it sailed through the air into the man who was stock-still in surprise and fear.

Looking up, Viper saw that a large part of the former axeman was now little more than charred flesh and ashes against the stone he'd previously backed up against and would not be separating from for quite a while.

"Fuck, and that was a guy who should be resistant to magic."

Remembering that the mage was still alive, and chanting another one of those hell-born spells again, he sprung up and pulled out his fifth knife. Turning around, he dashed forward and hurled it with all his strength.

It practically disappeared, reappearing a blink of an eye later sheathed to the hilt in the spellcaster's shoulder. Voicing a muffled scream, the mage stepped backwards in pain and fear. In his panic, he began another chant yet didn't come even close to finishing when the pilot's last knife stabbed into his heart, the robes doing little to impede six inches of carbon steel.

Letting loose a deep breath, Viper pulled his knives out when he glimpsed the coins spilling over the ground. Crouching to inspect the newest corpse, he saw that though his robes were torn and bloodied, they were clearly of expensive make. The man was wealthy, too much so for a disgruntled citizen who happened to have a spell book. Coupled with the gold which softly glittered underneath the moon's light, it reminded Viper of a familiar concept.

"Mercenaries."

Their decent equipment, hardiness and skill. That these corpses were once soldiers of fortune explained it all. But it also raised a few questions.

"How did they get through the guards? And who's paying them?"

He pocketed the coins before rising. By his count, he'd slain five infantrymen and the mage who'd turned another to ashes. Maria had also knocked out one of their men. Which left at most four alive and conscious, one of which would be the leader, the strongest and most experienced of the band. More importantly, he most likely knew the answers to his questions, and could be coerced into giving them.

At a hurried pace, he traced his path back to where he and Maria had split up, only stopping to retrieve his knives.

-0-

"Right. They're starting to move. On your mark."

As Viper clambered over the edge out of sight, Maria closed her mouth and drew her sword, a simple but well-maintained double-edged blade she'd picked out in the barracks. She was about to peek around the corner before she snapped her head back.

When she saw a man emerge past the corner, she tackled him into the brick wall where he slumped, unconscious. She noticed Viper dropping onto the furthermost bandit to plant a knife in his skull.

A few men yelled in surprise as they each turned to one of the two assailants. Maria raised her sword, tip facing the ground and hilt at her right shoulder.

Maria glanced over their equipment. "Weapons and armour are in better condition." She studied the axeman's scars and the swordsman's unwavering gaze, contrasting it with the wide-eyed glances of the two men behind him. "Which means those two are the leaders."

Seemingly on cue, the axeman moved first, followed by the swordsman to his right. Though they outnumbered the lone woman, the narrow alleyway lessened their advantage. The axeman struck first, a slice towards her left shoulder that she swiftly parried with a twirl of her sword. The axe sailed over her head to tear a chunk of the wall out.

Sidestepping the swordsman's thrust, Maria brought her sword down in retaliation but was forced to preemptively step back when the axeman chopped at her again.

She grimaced, realizing that their experience as a duo would cover for any openings they made, at least when fighting a single person. "I'll have to split them up somehow."

Feigning fear, Maria shook slightly before running through the alleyway to her right, hearing an indignant cry as she did so.

"Get back here!"

Maria sprinted through the alleyways, hoping they'd separate in their search for her. Only a minute later, she turned around a corner and stopped, listening for footsteps. Hearing the rhythmic footfalls, she concluded there were two of them.

When the first man passed, she waited a moment before thrusting at the second man's leg, drawing out a yell of pain.

He was soon silenced by the flat of a blade striking his temple. The other one snapped around in surprise before charging with a warcry and his sword raised above his head. The blade descended but was knocked aside as Maria brought the pommel of her sword around to bash him in the head. He dropped without a sound.

With both men unconscious, she tied their hands together with rope before leaving to find their leader. She suddenly rolled forward, saving her spine from an axe which buried itself in the ground instead.

Twisting around, she saw the axe being held by the same leader she was about to look for. His reserved ally stood to the side, staring at Maria. The scarred man looked down to his henchmen, cut their bindings and kicked their unconscious forms. "Oi! Get up!"

The relatively unscathed man groggily picked up his sword and stood while the other remained unresponsive. Sword raised in a guard position, Maria looked around her and scowled. The space she had to work with was miniscule, and it seemed the axeman recognized it as well, judging by his threatening taunts.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping that mask off your face, and then you apart!" Having faced worse odds against fiercer enemies, Maria was not impressed. The men approached, their weapons pointed forward. The swordsman charged first this time, followed closely by the axeman.

Maria parried the sword away from her leg and stepped back to avoid the axe. Finding no openings, Maria slowly lost ground in this pattern. She remained calm, patiently waiting for an opening.

Until she heard a man a dozen metres behind her. Looking back, she recognized it as the man she had tackled before. "Damn it. I'm surrounded." She jumped back to avoid another axe, before looking around for somewhere she could escape.

She found nothing. "This is bad. I don't have any other choice."

Maria turned around and recklessly charged towards the lone man. Now was not the time for restraint or mercy. She raised her sword to block his overhead strike.

No clang of metal sounded, only the distinctive sound of steel piercing flesh.

"Need a hand?" Viper pulled his knife out of the man's back before flicking it to the side.

Maria regained her composure now that Viper had finally caught up. "If you don't mind." She raised her sword once again, prepared for a fairer fight.

"Right." Viper sized up the frustrated bandits and took a series of digits out of Northstar's datacore. Calling to the axeman, he taunted with his left hand. "You seem tired. How pathetic."

The axeman snarled and charged with a war cry, his ally following shortly after.

As easily provoked as the axeman was, his scars made Viper doubt a few throws would bring him down. Instead, he muttered to Maria. "We don't have space to dodge to the side, and if we step back he'll just swing at us again. Divert his attack and I'll knock him out. You finish the other one after.

Maria merely nodded as she moved forward, her grip tightening around her sword. Her right foot shuffled forward as she turned sideways.

The axeman leapt, pouring all his strength and weight behind this final strike. He landed and swung his axe down. Maria dashed forwards into the strike, grunting with exertion as sword met axe. Her thin arms could not overpower the man's burly form.

But she didn't need them to. She merely pushed the axe to the left before stepping to the right.

Viper followed up, stabbing his knife into the stumbling man's dominant wrist. The man howled and dropped to his knees, holding his broken wrist with his other hand. When Maria confirmed the man's fate, she charged the surprised swordsman.

He managed to raise his sword to block her attack. Maria simply turned her blade to let it pass through the flimsy guard, stopping at his throat. The swordsman automatically dropped his weapon, hands about to rise in surrender when he too was knocked unconscious.

The other swordsman who had been still for the entire bout, fled at the sight of his defeated leaders. Seeing that Maria had only knocked the second-in-command unconscious, he asked, "You going after him?"

A shake of the head.

Viper noted her mercy. "Doesn't like death. Unlikely that she's a sell-sword like she said."

Remembering to tell Northstar about it later, he crouched down, eyes meeting the axeman's own. Even when cradling what remained of his wrist, the leader's eyes still held a fiery glare. However, held at knife-point, he didn't resist when Maria tightly bound his arms and began to interrogate him.

Or at least tried to.

Spitting at Viper's face, he cried out an indecipherable string of sounds. Thinking the bandit's sanity had broken like his wrist, Viper wiped the saliva off before glaring at the bandit's unexpectedly decaying body. Looking to their other hostage, he saw that the same was happening with him.

As the stench of death hit his nose, he recalled the unnatural enemies he'd encountered. Maria though, simply frowned before crouching to inspect the decomposing corpse. Etched over its heart was a black tattoo that Viper recognized as the Mark of Grima, two curved lines each cutting through three eyes before crossing and twisting to meet again. "Plegians."

Comparing the corpses to his first foes on this world, Viper came to an understandable conclusion. "You think Plegia has something to do with those monsters?"

By now the bodies had already disappeared, leaving only their armaments behind. "The resemblance is too strong to ignore, so yes."

"And these bandits were their doing?"

"Definitely."

To Viper, it made no sense. "Trained soldiers snuck through Ylisse's security with military equipment." And since a single group would have limited effect, it was unlikely they were the only ones. Such an occurrence was impossible unless Ylisse was absolutely terrible with security. Basing his judgement on Frederick alone, he shot that idea down.

Which could only mean, "Someone is letting them in."

Maria readily agreed. "That's the only thing I can think of."

As dangerous as it was to leave a traitor in their midst unattended, there was simply too little information to continue. Trying to press on while exhausted would also be a death sentence, so they decided to leave the issue for later.

But this was only one battle, the first of many in this war. "What next?"

Maria remained silent for a few moments, no doubt thinking over their next course of action. "A whole week of patrols and we only fought one group." And now that they were dead, the others would likely lay low to assess this new threat. Compounded with the fact that there were only two of them, they simply couldn't cover enough of Ylisse to make these rounds worthwhile.

"So we're moving on to a new objective?"

She nodded. "With the other groups too wary to try anything, there's little we can do in the capital right now. Even so, Ylisse still suffers from banditry and the Shepherds can only do so much."

Viper understood what she was getting at. In opposition to her late father's crimes, Emmeryn had withdrew and released from service most of Ylisse's army. Though it brought countless soldiers home to families broken by conscription and war, it also depleted the halidom's military might which was already spread thin across every settlement near the capital. Thankfully, banditry on the outskirts was usually curbed by the timely arrival of the Shepherds.

The same Shepherds that were now held up on their diplomatic mission, leaving them practically defenceless.

"When, and where, are we going?"

"Tomorrow." Pulling a world map from underneath her cloak, she beckoned to Viper with her other hand.

"As Plegia is already preparing for war," Her finger landed on the border between Ylisse and its less than cordial neighbour, west of Southtown and past the mountain range. The digit slid over to the forests east of the capital, before circling around to the roads connecting Ylisse and Regna Ferox. "we'll begin our patrol away from them, before meeting up with the rest of the Shepherds within a few weeks."

Though still maintaining an air of professionalism, he amused himself with the name of the village they were first travelling to.

"The Farfort huh."

He began to make his way back to the Shepherd's barracks. "Viper." The mercenary paused, turning to Maria.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. For the help."

Viper weakly chuckled, the tension accumulated over their week of nightly patrols leaving his body, and with it his energy. "Don't worry about it."


	4. Chapter 3

Extremely slow update due to a lack of motivation and time to write this story. Hopefully I will be able to take this story a lot further but can't make any promises.

Major Edits to Chapter 2

The journey to Themis has been moved to a later point in this story

Two scenes added to chapter 2, found in 2nd half of chapter

One: Viper and Northstar goes over what they have to work with, which I feel is important considering their powerful yet limited number of tools.

Two: Encounter with bandits during nightly patrols

Minor Edits to Prologue and Chapter 1 e.g. spelling, word choice etc.

Please review, point out anything you felt was missing or was done badly e.g. I tend to abuse some words or use dialogue a lot/badly, also noticed I tend to forget to replace some words when editing.

 **Chapter 3**

 _"I look like an idiot."_

Viper grumbled as he turned sideways to the full-length mirror in his room. Gripping the dark cloak worn over his shoulders, he flung it back where it settled over his jump-kit, forming an unnatural protrusion on his lower back.

 _"I believe the correct term is hunchback."_ Northstar agreed from the table, having uploaded herself to the helmet resting on it. Her usual vessel, an overwhelming force unlikely required to deal with common outlaws, sat unpowered in the stables. _"But unless your obsession with the colour orange subsides, allowing you to be something other than a mistake in reconnaissance, the cloak will remain a necessary addition."_

Jab aside, Viper's intention was simply to hide his jump-kit. Though the cloth was unflatteringly suspicious, it didn't come with the inconvenience inherent to either bringing a heavy backpack or being stopped every half minute for questioning.

 _"Well, from what we've seen aren't all the Shepherds eccentric in some way?"_

 _"Your mere presence in this world is already eccentric."_

 _"Alright, I get it."_ Viper reached for the revolver strapped to his thigh, admiring the fluidity of the motion belied by the seemingly cumbersome cloak. _"The less of me seen, the better."_

Satisfied with his appearance, Viper began to follow the whims of his stomach to the mess hall.

 _"So, I think we've spent enough time around them. What do you think?"_

A time went by as he imagined the flickering of motors and optics typical of his partner when thinking. _"For the most part, the same as you I suppose. Though Ricken is particularly intriguing."_

Viper agreed. The boy's knowledge of magic alone made him a person of interest, to say the least about his potential as a soldier. Once he ironed out the uncertainty that is. He caught himself, _"Once?_ _No, it's probably best that I don't get involved."_

 _"I don't see a problem in training him. Slone after all, turned out with admirable results."_

 _"That was different. The Apex Predators did not allow underpar performance and because of Blisk, I'm pretty sure declining and retiring was the same, what with both involving a firing squad. Besides, who knows how long we'll be staying with the Shepherds."_

Northstar rebutted in a heartbeat, whether due to being an AI or having given this matter more than a passing thought Viper could only speculate. _"That's true. But from what we've learnt so far, it's possible that if Plegia had their way they'll end up destroying the world."_

He sighed. Despite the prospect of Plegia even having that choice being unlikely at best, he couldn't deny their similarities to those of the monsters he'd seen. _"And nothing in the world matters when there is no world."_

 _"Exactly. Which is why it's probably best that you do get involved."_

Contrary to his groan, he wasn't particularly against training Ricken. While matters fantastical were far from his forte, it was difficult to misunderstand that fire burned and lightning killed. The upcoming patrol was also short-handed with only two people, making it a good occasion to bring Ricken along for some first-hand experience.

 _"Guess you're right. I'll try and bring him along."_ Before Northstar could tack on a self-praising statement, Viper entered the mess hall to lay eyes on a ravenous beast, unaware of the newcomer until he was seated across from her.

Startled, Maria half-heartedly glared as he unconvincingly looked away. "I saw nothing."

Reassured he wouldn't mention her blunder in the future, she returned to her food with a little more restraint. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." Absentmindedly replying, he pondered on how to broach the idea of bringing a child along to fight bandits. Unexpectedly, luck decided to throw him a bone.

"Oh, Viper!" Turning his head to the direction he'd come from, he saw the same boy grinning at him. He raised a hand in greeting and waved him over to sit with them.

"How have you been?"

Taking a seat with a wide grin, Ricken reached for the bread. "Great!"

Viper raised an eyebrow, surprised by the cheer he would've expected from Lissa instead. "Something nice happen?"

Busy chewing, Ricken only nodded in agreement at first before swallowing and launching into a recount of what he'd been doing. "I managed to talk out my problems with Maribelle and it turns out she was just being really overprotective. She only said she'll try to hold back a little, but it's something."

Viper decided to interrupt him. "That's good." He thought over how he'd persuade Maria to allow the boy to come along. "Hey, Maria and I were -"

"No." The refusal was as swift as it was expected. Suspicious that the masked girl's denial was likely a result of concern over the boy's safety, he probed further. "Why not?"

Her reply was nigh instantaneous. "It's too dangerous."

 _"Jackpot."_

If Maria was afraid of the risks, then he was certain he could convince her. "Just hear me out alright?" Her silence, while unsupportive of his idea, said she was at least willing to listen. Viper assumed Ricken, whose gaze flickered between the two in confusion, would be unopposed to his decision.

"There's several reasons why it's not as dangerous as you think." She waited for him to continue. "For one thing, we're dealing with thugs with basic gear at best, not trained soldiers like from last night." Curious, Ricken turned up only to be met with a single finger and a promise he'd be told the details later.

"I'm confident their numbers are also far lower since pillaging can only feed so many people. So the enemy is already weaker than what we've taken on with just the two of us."

 _"Now to convince her he won't be a liability."_

He looked sideways. "Plus, Miriel's been tutoring you, right?" Receiving a nod, he turned back to Maria. "So clearly, there's potential that she sees in him." The boy smiled awkwardly and scratched his head. Maria grimaced and looked to the side, still unable to refute his words.

 _"Just a little more..."_

"But sitting around in the barracks isn't enough. He needs battlefield experience."

That was when Maria spoke. "So why now? Why not after we meet up with the rest of the Shepherds when we'll be at our strongest."

Viper hummed, safety in numbers couldn't be ignored. "That's true, but the same goes for Plegia." He took on a sombre tone. "At that point we'll likely be at war. This could be our last chance to show Ricken the ropes in a reasonably safe environment."

As was becoming the norm when Maria and Viper conversed, a quiet overtook the room. Ricken watched without a word, sensing the gravity of the topic despite his youth. Maria was visibly at a tipping point, unable to come up with a decision better than the one put forth. They both knew keeping Ricken safe with so much out of their control was nigh impossible. As Viper said, this was likely their last opportunity to prepare the boy for what was coming.

"Um," Ricken broke the silence with a soft, uncertain voice, staring at the bread in his hands. "I don't claim to be good with this whole… war business." He looked up, eyes hardening with resolution. "Yet if Miriel and Viper are willing to teach me, I'm sure that I can handle whatever might come if I'm with you guys."

Sitting up, he stared at Maria's mask, "I also have my own reasons for joining the Shepherds. So if there's an opportunity like this, I absolutely can not pass up on it." Seconds passed as unusually, Ricken's gaze continued unwavering.

Maria looked away and sighed. "Fine."

Viper chuckled and patted Ricken's back. "Well said kid." Feeling on a roll, he wondered if they could bring Maribelle along as well. He'd yet to witness healing magic. "Think you can persuade Maribelle to come with?"

The boy paled and laughed nervously. "I'll uh, try I guess?" Looking distinctly less confident about inviting the noblewoman on a trip than taking on bloodthirsty raiders, he shakily stood from his chair. "Viper?"

The man in question turned his head, wondering what else Ricken had to say. "Hmm?"

"Thanks. For believing in me."

Viper waved the gratitude away. "Of course. Meet us at the eastern gates when you're done."

With a smile, Ricken left the mess hall to find Maribelle. Viper turned back to Maria and noticed a smirk. "What's so funny?"

Her smirk grew. "Fooled you."

Frowning, Viper wondered what she meant when his feelings of victory gave way to embarrassment. "You just wanted me to improve his confidence."

He only groaned into his hands at Maria's laughter.

-0-

"Oi." Viper grabbed Maria's attention. They were standing in the shade of an alleyway hidden away by the storefronts on the main street. With little to do aside from waiting for Ricken, he'd settled for gazing across the numerous patrons going about their business. Studying their clothing, he'd realized the stark differences between the duo's fashion and what was deemed normal garb.

"Yes?"

"Don't we look a little suspicious?" Secured to the magnetic rack beneath his cloak, Northstar snorted. Maria paused, having been so caught up with recent events and future plans that she'd yet to mull over those thoughts.

She looked over herself, dressed in royal blues and carrying a blade that would've struck anyone as familiar. Looking over the large cloak obscuring Viper's figure and no doubt numerous weapons as well brought no sense of relief. The prominent lump at his lower back didn't help matters, and once she thought of it, neither did the scorching midday heat that forced them into the dark alleyway to begin with. She added warmly dressed to the quickly growing list of suspicious traits.

"See what I mean?" Viper didn't need to wait for an answer. "I'm honestly surprised no one's arrested us. Even if it's a false alarm no one would blame them."

Which raised a serious, difficult question. "So how the hell are we getting past that gate?"

Maria froze as adrenaline began to course through her body. Had they been leaving via the northern gates through which they'd entered with Chrom, hoping for one of the guards to recognize them wasn't a particularly bad idea. Though with no such luck, and no proof of citizenship on top of everything, trying to peacefully pass was but a far fetched dream.

Viper arrived at the same conclusion. "Brawl our way out?"

Maria nodded, though she loathed fighting her fellow citizen, there seemed to be no other choice available to them. "No killing." She needlessly clarified.

Neither knives nor guns meshed well with non-lethal. Sinking lower into self-pity, a voice comparable to Lissa's in his mind dragged him out of his sighs. "Hey guys!"

Looking up, he was unsurprised to see Ricken jogging up to them, though without the noblewoman in tow. _"Great, another suspiciously cloaked individual. Well, at least he fits the mage appearance."_

"Hey. Maribelle's not coming?"

Ricken shook his head. "No. She said that she'd be busy cleaning up the barracks a little."

Viper noted the difficulty of escaping even with all of them aware of what was going on. "Remember Ricken, Maria and I don't have citizenships. The guards likely won't recognize us either, so be prepared to fight your way out when we're stopped."

"Oh." Ricken nonchalantly dismissed Viper's concerns as he strolled towards the gates. "Well there's no need to worry."

With his helmet off, Viper's disbelief was apparent. Though he still followed after Ricken with a morbid curiosity for what will take place. "Miriel and I pass through these gates pretty often to find potion ingredients in the forests, so I'm sure the guards will let us through."

That was enough to convince Maria, who voiced her appreciation. Viper said nothing. Externally that is. _"But that only covers for you."_ Looking at Maria to his right, he wondered if a single boy could vouch for two unknowns as strange as them. " _No way."_ He could put aside his disbelief when the prince was involved, but as of last time he checked, which he realized was never, Ricken was not royalty.

Which meant this plan required the kind of security which doomed a city. Looking at the people around them, he noticed a distinct lack of screaming and dying. Checking over his equipment once again, he consoled himself with the knowledge that he at least had his jump-kit this time.

"Halt!" The clanking of armour signalled a trio of guards approaching with spears and bucklers in hand. Noting the uncovered legs, Viper's hand twitched for a knife. The archers manning the stone walls and the presence of his companions dissuaded him. "State your business!"

Far calmer than Viper, Ricken answered without a thought. "Hey Bruce, just leaving for a patrol." The knight in front, likely the captain, relaxed and lifted his visor to reveal hazel eyes and wrinkled skin obscured by a greying beard upturned in a grin. His eyes twinkled as he clapped a hand on Ricken's shoulder.

"So you got promoted aye?" Bruce's question was as rhetorical as the voice he spoke with was gruff. "Knew you had it in you, son."

"Thanks." Scratching his head awkwardly, Ricken refrained from correcting him. He pulled out a few pieces of paper from his cloak and passed it Bruce, who automatically read and flipped through its contents. "Sorry, but we're in a bit of a hurry. Can we pass?"

An odd mixture of hope and foreboding filled Viper. Hope that they would be let through without questioning or fighting, yet foreboding at the implications if that occurred.

"Sorry Ricken," The guard began.

 _"Here we go."_

"But I'll need just a few minutes alone with your friends." He disarmingly grinned. "Just a few questions is all."

 _"Just a few questions is all."_ Needless to say, Viper doubted that was the full extent of what was going to take place.

"Oh, okay." Ricken cast a worried glance their way, but nonetheless acceded. Once he was out of earshot, Bruce turned to the two left.

"Alright, who the hell are ya?" His tone was far more dangerous, bordering on hostile even. Viper managed to reign in his reflexes for the most part, but at this distance he was certain Bruce had noticed.

For the best, it was Maria who responded. "We're newly recruited Shepherds. We arrived at the northern gates with prince Chrom two days ago."

"Alright." The knight stared in thought. "On what business are you leaving?"

"We're patrolling the east side of Ylisse."

"Papers?" Confused, Maria turned to Viper who took over.

"We didn't know we needed documents. Our entrance was uninterrupted, probably because we were with the prince."

Bruce sighed. "Well, that sure sounds like him alright."

He shuffled closer. "Listen, I'm still not trusting of either of you yet, especially you boy. But save for Ricken and Miriel, the few trading caravans and the odd Shepherd patrol, hardly anybody leaves through here."

"Something wrong?"

"That's right. A group of mercenaries, fourteen by my count, came a few hours before you did. Now as far as I'm aware, there's no work to be found where they're going, so I've got a bad feeling about them."

"You want us to protect Ricken?"

Bruce solemnly nodded. "He's a good kid, and a harder worker. If it were up to me I wouldn't let him go. But since he's got everything in order, my hands are tied."

He straightened his back, cutting an imposing figure. "So… On the condition that you promise to keep him safe, I'll wave away the missing documents."

Viper recalled his discussion with Maria, their decision to purposely put Ricken in harm's way to prepare him for war. He glanced to Maria.

"We promise." It was empty, automated.

Bruce stared with a fierceness that unsettled Viper. He realized, this was a man with few things left to lose.

And he'd just lied to his face.

Bruce continued for a moment before his frown softened. Still, his eyes lost none of their strength. He put on the act of a cheerful old man again and laughed.

"Who is this lowly guard to stop a Shepherd?" Oblivious to anyone's turmoil, he waved them through without another question. The scrutinizing glare went unnoticed as Viper mindlessly walked after Ricken.

The boy turned to him with a questioning gaze. Unheard, Viper took a deep breath before answering. "Exactly as the man said, "Just a few questions is all.""

"Okay." Ricken dragged out the word, before settling in stride alongside Viper. They walked in silence before Viper broke it.

"Ricken." The boy turned his head in curiosity. "Remember to be careful yeah?"

"Sure."

Viper wasn't comfortable with the quietness, not when Ricken was right there.

"Anyways." He turned to Maria. "I think I know how those Plegians got in now."

"How?"

He pulled his helmet out from underneath his cloak, stared in thought for a moment before putting it on. "They just strolled in through the gates."

Maria rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced while Ricken looked to Viper. "Oh yeah, what did happen last night?"

Securely placed upon his head, Northstar commented on the prudence of recounting graphic violence to a child. Given his relief to be discussing something familiar for once, Viper naturally paid her no heed.

And so it began, the first of many trials on the path Ricken chose.

-0-

 _"There's the men after us."_

Peculiarly, hindsight was mostly in favour of Viper's decision for once. In their circumstances, introducing Ricken to combat on a scale larger than a duel as early as possible would be crucial to the boy's, and by extension his, survival.

 _"Pilot, I've spotted two archers in the trees. Bearings 2-7-2 and 3-0-4, approximately eight metres away."_

Frowning, Viper considered the likelihood of there only being two in hiding before quickly dismissing it. With the sun setting a few hours ago and the dense foliage, there was little reason to trust vision alone, if at all. _"So at least three or four are in there."_

Not even the shadows were clear in this darkness, so for all he knew, there might be assailants behind any of the bandits ahead of him, especially the knight. To say his armour was bulky would be a woeful understatement, but when taking into account this planet's gravity it was believable.

Using themselves as a distraction had been effective, which he surmised was the reason they came into view in the first place. The timing and the location was also well-suited for an ambush, and had it not been for Northstar he'd merely assume the presence of an unseen enemy.

So Maria likely had a similar suspicion.

"Two archers to your left, possibly more. I'll deal with them." His voice came through his helmet as a faint whisper to his colleagues. From that, they at least had a rudimentary plan; Maria and Ricken would hold off the group in front of them while Viper engaged their hidden foes. All they needed now was a cue.

"You know the drill." A raggedy thug tread forward, kicking up dirt and stabbing his dagger aimlessly at the air for supposedly intimidation.

 _"I take your life and your money."_ Clearly, it only emboldened Viper to put several fools six feet under. By his side with an open tome, Ricken was similarly far from shaken.

Maria deliberately drew her sword. "I'm afraid I don't."

That was when Viper grasped a knife, and with a snap released it so suddenly no one responded until it buried itself in the shoulder of the bowman further from him. He had been aiming for the torso, but with the time he took and the distance between them it was more than acceptable.

Maria charged, cutting down a single bandit as a gust of wind courtesy of Ricken shoved another onto his back.

Viper dashed through the shrubs with another knife in hand when the archer crouched. Another thug leapt over his ally to bring his sword down. Sidestepping the blade with room to spare, Viper only scored a shallow cut before he was forced to drop his arm to block an arrow. Looking up from the falling projectile prompted him to duck to save his neck.

Recognizing a pattern, he threw his knife at the unexpecting archer. A bow snapped as its wielder fell on it, dead. Without his ally to cover for him, the horizontal strike left the attacker wide open. Viper shot up, and with his entire body drove a metal-gloved fist into vulnerable ribs with a crunch. The body flew back before falling over with a dull thud.

Taking a deep breath, he intently listened for another enemy. He heard only the clash of blades and an unnatural rush of wind from his right. He followed the sounds through the trees, making sure to finish off the battle's first casualty as he passed.

His eyes roved over the few corpses to Maria and Ricken, then to what remained of the bandits being pushed further down the road. When Viper reached for a knife, the sight of a mage seized his attention and a growing fire demanded his action.

He soon realized that magic in formation resulted from a completed chant.

Maria rolled with practiced ease out of the trajectory of flames the size of her head. Yet as admirable as Ricken's support had been, his inexperience showed in his failure to do the same. A choked cry was followed by one of fear and two thuds.

"Ricken!" Maria's yell preceded a vicious stroke and another thug's death.

Shoving these sounds to the back of his mind, Viper sprinted to his ally's side. With Ricken at best downed and worst dead, he would have to take his place in supporting her.

Whittled down to a mere six, the bandits were far more cautious. Yet from Maria's breathing, holding off so many enemies was beginning to take its toll. An anxious standstill settled over the battlefield when both sides refused to make the first move. As Viper had soon come to expect at the end of these uneasy moments of inaction, a shout signalled its end.

"Elwind!"

That it unexpectedly came from behind was cause for alarm. _"What the hell!?"_

A heavy wind threatened to upheave Viper's footing as it passed, crashing into the largest target with a force akin to a battering ram and sending him tumbling over himself across the dirt to lie in an unsightly pile.

 _"Pilot, strike now."_ Recognizing the voice as Ricken's, Northstar prompted him to push aside his queries. He threw two knives in sequence. One met its mark and the other was blocked by an axe, whose distracted wielder was struck down by Maria.

He threw his knife and bolted for the few still standing. One fell before he'd arrived and grabbed another's wrist with his left hand, keeping him from moving his sword. Viper buried his other fist in a stomach before bringing it around to slam the man's head into his rising knee with a resounding crack.

By his side, Maria demolished the last bandit's hasty defense with a sweep of her blade. A thrust pushed her sword through his chest before she pulled it back just as swiftly. Viper looked up, releasing a breath as he did so, and studied the crumpled heap of armour.

 _"He's alive"_ He'd already lost count of the times Northstar's keen eye for detail proved its worth that night. _"You should have Maria tie him up while you find out which demon Ricken sold his soul to. Surviving that flaming equivalent of a cannon ball should have been impossible, much less remaining conscious."_

 _"Sounds good."_ Viper turned to his breathless colleague. "You have any rope?" Maria's answer was a nod as she moved towards the motionless pile. Confidence brewed over two skirmishes allowed him to turn around with peace of mind, only to see Ricken collapsed on the road. Briskly walking to his side, Viper crouched down to see the steady rise and fall of his shoulders beneath his charred, tattered robes.

Sighing, he unclasped his cloak and wrapped it around the boy. Lifting the bundle to his waist, he brought him to Maria. From how she'd opted to bind only the knight's wrists and ankles, his armour was likely too cumbersome to remove. She took up his weapon, a steel lance and turned it over a few times. She nodded before tying it to herself with some rope around her waist.

Viper carefully laid Ricken by her feet "Give me a few minutes to find my knives." True to his word, a short time and a punch to the face of a stirring man later, Viper returned. Knife in hand, he roughly shook the unconscious bandit awake.

The groggy man regained his bearings and focused on his captor's visage. "Awake now? Good. You're going to tell us everything you know." Maria remained silent by his side, allowing her unsheathed sword to speak for her. While he was in no position to laugh, the captive did so anyways.

"Do your wor-" Cut off by a knife in his shoulder, his screams came muffled through Viper's hand. A twist of the blade strengthened his cries and his futile struggles against his bindings.

Viper slowly removed his knife, and after a few moments his hand as well. All traces of bravado had disappeared from the man as he gasped in pain. "Let's try this again."

"Who sent you?" Like the knife at the captive's throat, Maria's tone left no room for discussion. "Nobo-" Viper pressed slightly harder, making it clear no one believed him.

Gulping, he started again. "I don't know!"

When Northstar assured he was telling the truth, the pilot raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you take the job?"

"He was willing to pay a lot of gold, enough to set us up for a long time. He told us what the two of you looked like and where you were going. It was supposed to be an easy job."

"What did he look like?"

"I couldn't see. He was wearing a hood." Dissatisfied, Viper pressed again, this time drawing blood. The man screwed his eyes shut, looking to be recalling whatever he could to save his life.

"B-but he had a sword!" The tears came back as he begged. "That's all I know I swear! Please don't kill me!"

A silence enveloped the clearing, broken only by the whimpering of a broken man. A remark from Northstar revealed that, once again, he was not lying. _"Right."_ He turned to Maria. "Any questions?"

A nod was her answer. "One. Who else is after us?"

"No one. We were the only ones sent after you." Their captive waited with bated breath.

Viper concluded their conversation. "Alright then." A shaky breath was released, which soon turned to confused gurgles.

Untying the corpse, he glanced over Maria. Her grimace spoke for her. Viper had seen the same look many times before on a much younger Slone. The disappointment at the loss of life warring with an understanding of its necessity. "You okay?"

Setting her face in familiar stony features, she nodded. "Let's make camp." She walked away without another word, followed by Viper who held Ricken over his shoulder.

-0-

Gently laying Ricken in a clearing a ways off from the road, Viper watched Maria take out a clear flask. Within it sloshed a blood-red solution before she tipped it down the boy's throat.

Curious, Viper stared for a moment as nothing happened. Looking closer, he saw burns and scrapes replaced by scabs and then new flesh. Where once were wounds, now rested patches of skin slightly paler than their surrounding flesh. What normally took weeks occurred over the span of at most half a minute.

 _"Wow."_ Was all Viper could say in response.

Northstar was similarly puzzled. _"Regeneration equivalent to that of a Stim's. Wow indeed. Given how it was applied, it could be an amplification of the body's natural healing processes. Recommend testing as soon as possible."_

Viper noted it, then shook himself out of his reverie and spoke. "Think they were the mercenaries sent after us?"

Maria gritted her teeth and almost spat out her words. "Yes, and likely in service to Plegia. Even if unwitting."

With her displays of mercy and remorse in mind, how she acted now was odd. Whatever was eating at her could not be left alone. "You're not okay. What's wrong."

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Ricken was hurt. Because of my decision to leave that swordsman alive."

Puzzled, Viper thought for a few moments before it clicked. They were likely sold out by the man Maria spared. "He'll be fine."

"He shouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place." She stubbornly shot back. "Like you said, there wouldn't be any problems. Except there were." She murmured the last part. "And it was because of my mistake."

Viper couldn't disagree. If she hadn't shown mercy, they wouldn't have run into those mercenaries. But Maria didn't need to hear a lesson she already understood. "What you say is probably true. But at that moment, you chose to spare a man who was no longer an immediate threat. We couldn't turn him in either since we'd look just as suspicious."

He nodded to the peacefully sleeping Ricken. "And again, Ricken will be fine. He's learned a lot. I'd go so far as to say tonight turned out for the better for him."

Maria looked over as well. "I suppose..."

Seeing her as convinced as she could be, he steered the conversation back to their enemies. "Either way, it looks like whoever we're up against is rich."

"They're probably also in a position of power, what with the number of Plegian soldiers in the Halidom." Maria sighed. "The list is narrowed a bit I suppose, but there's still too many to investigate."

Northstar spoke up. _"To make matters worse, our culprit does not necessarily have political power, just money. In any case, we don't have enough information to infer more. It's best to leave this matter for later."_

Viper took her advice. "Once we have more to go on, we'll come back to this. Get some rest, I'll take first watch."

"Thanks." Maria collapsed against a tree with a sigh and within minutes was sound asleep.

Viper took his own seat against the tree opposite to her. He pulled out a bottle of oil and a piece of cloth and began to absentmindedly clean his knives. _"So who do you think she is?"_

 _"Before, I thought she was a spy working for Ylisstol. When we were alone, she claimed to have knowledge of what was to come. With the coming war with Plegia, I'd assumed she meant their plans, which implicate her as a former member of their army._

 _"But that's shot down as her clothes are unerringly similar to Chrom's. She looks like royalty."_

 _"Correct, and the extent of her knowledge of Ylisstol's layout further supports this."_

 _"So what changed your mind?"_

 _"The mercy she's displayed and her remorse is borderline mutually exclusive with her being a spy."_

 _"Of course. To be so far behind enemy lines yet still hold back? She'd be dead within a week."_ Viper frowned, more lost than ever. _"But what else could she be?"_

To his growing frustration, Northstar was no closer to a plausible explanation than he. _"She can't be a turncoat with her knowledge of Ylisstol, nor can she be a spy with her behaviour which I am certain is genuine. Her attire indicates her being royalty, but Chrom showed no signs of recognition."_

Viper groaned. _"It makes no sense."_

 _"For now that is."_ Northstar assured. _"There is always an explanation."_

 _"You just have to look for it."_ He stared at Maria, only to add to his ever-growing confusion. _"Didn't she agree with Chrom to use a different sword?"_

 _"She did."_

Viper hummed. He had no clue what her persistent use of the replica meant, but he had a hunch it was crucial to their mystery.


End file.
